Authors (including presenting author) :
YIM, TK(1), AU, CKE(1), KWAN, HY(1), HO, YY(1), HO, OK(1), TANG, KLC(1), HO, HY(1), SIN, ML(1), KWAN, SCW(1), & LEE, MM(1)
Affiliation :
(1)Nursing Department, Hong Kong Buddhist Hospital
Introduction :
Engaging clients through technology is a growing trend in healthcare. Integrating smart technologies, like robotic assistants (TEMI), into hospital wards is crucial for improving clinical outcomes and client experiences. In the geriatrics ward of HKBH, TEMI assists with autonomous patrols and provides vital information, such as reality orientation, dietary advice, medication reminders, infection control guidance, and fall risk alerts. Studies show that reality orientation, involving time and location, can enhance cognitive function, particularly for dementia patients (Spector et al., 2000)
Objectives :
1.Enhance the overall client experience and foster a more positive, collaborative environment for healthcare staff.
2.Support cognitive abilities of clients through daily reality orientation.
3.Reduce restraint use by providing diversional activities for clients with cognitive impairments via TEMI.
Methodology :
1. Deployment and Expansion of TEMI’s Functionality: TEMI was deployed in January 2022, initially offering patrol and reality orientation twice daily. Based on positive feedback, TEMI expanded to 8 daily sessions, including dietary reminders, medication prompts, educational sessions for clients/relatives, weekend music sessions for memory and cultural recall, and puzzle games to engage cognitively impaired clients and reduce restraint use.
2. Surveys and Enhancements: A pilot satisfaction survey in May 2024 assessed TEMI’s performance from clients, relatives, and nurses. Following the survey, improvements were made, and a second survey in December 2024 incorporated feedback including allied health staff, such as PT and OT.
Result & Outcome :
1. A total of 100 satisfaction survey responses were received from both healthcare staff and clients/relatives in the ‘Enhancement Survey,’ compared to 40 responses from nurses and clients/relatives in the ‘Pilot Survey.’ The average scores were 4.24 out of 5 from healthcare staff and 4.43 out of 5 from clients/relatives in the ‘Enhancement Survey,’ whereas the average scores were 4.07 out of 5 from nurses and 4.13 out of 5 from clients/relatives in the ‘Pilot Survey’ (with 5 being the highest level of satisfaction).
2. Restlessness and agitation decreased, leading to a 30% reduction in physical restraints was observed in the use of physical restraints in our quarterly surprise check. Relatives reported greater peace of mind.
3. About 64% of relatives identified two key messages: the Temi robot’s reminder for gentle massages during visiting hours to reduce stress, increasing their involvement in care and the denture reminder to prevent incidents of missing dentures.
4. More than 90% of healthcare staff felt reality orientation helped maintain cognitive function.
5. Staff expressed satisfaction with the program, appreciating TEMI’s role in reducing restraint use and repetitive communication with relatives.
Conclusions
TEMI’s integration in the geriatric ward successfully enhanced client experience, supported cognitive function, and minimized restraint use. Positive feedback from both clients/relatives and healthcare staff suggests that TEMI is a valuable tool for improving care quality in elderly clients.
