Assistant nurses' reflections on ASSIST 1.0: Theory-inspired support in reablement.

Background: Reablement is a person-centred and goal-oriented intervention delivered by a multi-professional team, including assistant nurses, and aimed at strengthening older adults' participation in activities of daily life. However, reablement programs often lack theoretical grounding.

Aim: To explore how assistant nurses experience and reflect on their work processes and collaboration with an occupational therapist within the ASSIST 1.0 reablement program.

Material and method: This qualitative study is based on interviews with three assistant nurses conducted on three occasions over one year. The nine semi-structured interviews were interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis.

Results: Through the analysis one main theme was constructed: Supported learning and reflecting enhances understanding of reablement, and three subthemes: Gaining new perspectives by reflecting with an occupational therapist; Recognizing the importance of person-centred goal-setting; Learning reablement with everyday examples. The themes illustrate how the assistant nurses made sense of their experiences within the ASSIST 1.0 reablement program.

Conclusion and significance: Through engagement with the program, staff described internalizing key concepts of the ASSIST 1.0 reablement program and shifting towards more person-centred, occupation-focused, and goal-oriented approaches. Hence, theory-informed reablement programs embedded in everyday practice can develop staff's understanding and application of reablement principles.