Journal Article

Normalisation process theory and the implementation of a new glaucoma clinical pathway in hospital eye services: Perspectives of doctors, nurses and optometrists

Waterman, Heather, Read, Simon, Gillespie, David, Allen, Davina, Weiss, Marjorie, Anderson, Pippa, Morgan, James, Nollett, Claire

2021

Overview

Normalisation process theory reports the importance of contextual integration in successfully embedding novel interventions, with recent propositions detailing the role that 'plasticity' of intervention components and 'elasticity' of an intended setting contribute. We report on the introduction of a clinical pathway assessing patient non-responsiveness to treatment for glaucoma and ocular hypertension. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of implementing the Cardiff Model of Glaucoma Care into hospital eye services, identifying any issues of acceptability for staff through the filter of normalisation process theory. A prospective observational study was undertaken in four hospital eye services. This incorporated detailed qualitative semi-structured interviews with staff (n = 8) to gather their perceptions on the intervention's usefulness and practicality. In addition, observational field notes of patient and staff consultations (n = 88) were collected, as well as broader organisational observations from within the research sites (n = 52). Data collection and analysis was informed by the normalisation process theory framework. Staff reported the pathway led to beneficial knowledge on managing patient treatment, but the model was sometimes perceived as overly prescriptive. This perception varied significantly based on the composition of clinics in relation to staff experience, staff availability and pre-existing clinical structures. The most commonly recounted barrier came in contextually integrating into sites where wider administrative systems were inflexible to intervention components. Flexibility will be the key determinant of whether the clinical pathway can progress to wider implementation. Addressing the complexity and variation associated with practice between clinics required a remodelling of the pathway to maintain its central benefits but enhance its plasticity. Our study therefore helps to confirm propositions developed in relation to normalisation process theory, contextual integration, intervention plasticity, and setting elasticity. This enables the transferability of findings to healthcare settings other than ophthalmology, where any novel intervention is implemented.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Attitude of Health Personnel / Biology and Life Sciences / Care and treatment / Critical Pathways - standards / Data collection / Elasticity / Embedding / Eye / Glaucoma / Glaucoma - psychology / Glaucoma - therapy / Health Plan Implementation / Health services / Health Services - standards / Hospitals / Human resource management / Humans / Hypertension / Integration / Intervention / Knowledge management / Medical personnel / Medical protocols / Medicine and Health Sciences / Methods / Nurses - psychology / Observational studies / Ophthalmology / Optometrists - psychology / Patient care planning / Patients / People and Places / Physicians / Physicians - psychology / Plastic properties / Plasticity / Prospective Studies / Qualitative Research / Quality management / Research and Analysis Methods / Social Sciences / Sociology / United Kingdom