Double and triple duty caregiving and its effect on personal health and wellbeing: a pilot project and sample funding proposal

This capstone project examines the effects of double and triple duty caregiving on the personal health and wellbeing of nurses. A mock research grant is proposed for the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) Project Scheme, based on a critical review of literature and the results of a pilot project. Qualitative interviews were conducted with nine female nurses (aged 45 to 67) living in British Columbia who were providing informal caregiving for a family member. Results from the pilot project indicate that these caregivers experience adverse physical and mental health issues, which in turn compromise their job performance and heightened their family obligations. Caregivers also experience burden differently, depending on their nursing qualifications and support networks. Overall, it is argued that research is needed on this topic to further examine how double and triple duty caregiving places unnecessary strain on both healthcare workers and the health care system.