Dimensions of care in five United States nursing homes: identifying invisible work in care-giving Original Research Article

This article reports on a study carried out to identify components of practical knowledge, which is the knowledge that is used to guide decision-making and actions, used by care-givers in nursing homes. The practical knowledge behind the giving of care in the day-to-day activities in five nursing homes was studied and models for such care were developed. One finding from this study was that a large portion of the work of caring as known and understood by care-participants (patients, families, and nursing staff) was excluded from prescribed routines established by administration for care.