The Effect of Training on Dementia Care among Nurses: A Systematic Review (original) (raw)

The impact of nurse and care staff education on the functional ability and quality of life of people living with dementia in aged care: A systematic review

Nurse education today, 2018

Educational initiatives can improve care delivery and the experience of living in residential aged care for people with dementia. This review aimed to determine the impact of nurse and care staff education on measures of functional ability and quality of life for older people with dementia living in care homes. Systematic review. Search of on-line databases in English between January 2000 and January 2017. Three reviewers used data extraction and critical appraisal tools of the Joanna Briggs Institute to determine methodological quality of research. Thirty-two studies met the initial inclusion criteria and 13 were retrieved for full appraisal. There was limited impact of nurse and care staff education on residents' agitation, anxiety, mood and quality of life. The most consistent improvement in functional ability due to education may be in the execution of activities of daily living. More successful programs included multi-faceted components (e.g. hands on support, clinical audi...

Training in dementia care: a cluster-randomized controlled trial of a training program for nursing home staff in Germany

International Psychogeriatrics, 2009

Background: This study examines the effectiveness of a nursing home staff training program designed to improve the interaction between residents with dementia and their caregivers. Methods: A three-arm cluster-randomized and controlled population of 96 caregivers and 210 residents was used. Caregivers of the intervention group (IG) received a three-month training program in dementia care. Data were gathered at baseline, immediately after the training and at a six-month follow-up-assessment. Shortand long-term effects of the training program were assessed in comparison with another intervention referred to as the relaxation group (RG) and a wait-list control group (CG). Results: Results indicated significant positive effects of the training program on caregivers' knowledge immediately after the training and on the use of physical restraints at the six-month follow-up. Caregivers' overall competence increased significantly both in the IG and in the RG. No intervention effects were found on caregivers' level of burnout, their health complaints or on the use of sedative drugs. Relaxation training was more successful in the reduction of caregivers' health complaints. Conclusions: Results of the study indicate both the effectiveness and the limitations of a general training program in dementia care. The complexity of the nursing home setting potentially needs more complex interventions. Ongoing and continued support of the caregivers, as well as changes in organization and environment, are more likely to be helpful in the long-term improvement in the quality of care. Future research should focus on studies of specific interventions, such as the interesting effects of relaxation training on the caregivers' state of health.

Expectations of nursing personnel and physicians on dementia training

Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie

Background The number of dementia training programs in hospital settings is steadily increasing. The way training sessions are designed influences the way the learning content is implemented in practice. To develop a successful training it is important to meet the needs of the target group; however, not much is known about staff preferences and expectations relevant to future dementia training programs in hospitals in Germany and Greece. Objective The aim of this survey was to explore staff training needs relevant to the topic of dementia, in general hospitals in Germany and Greece. This study analyzed the interests of staff members, preferences and expectations with respect to dementia training. Material and methods This was a descriptive survey based on a 54-item questionnaire conducted with 61 nursing staff, head nurses and physicians (Germany: n = 25, Greece: n = 36) recruited from 5 hospitals (Germany: n = 3, Greece: n = 2). Parts of the questionnaire explored participants’ pre...

Implementation of a training program to increase knowledge, improve attitudes and reduce nursing care omissions towards patients with dementia in hospital settings: a mixed-method study protocol

BMJ Open

IntroductionThere is an evidence showing that when nurses have to allocate their time because of a lack of resources, older patients and especially those with dementia have a secondary care priority. The purpose of this study is to advance the level of knowledge, promote positive attitudes of nurses and reduce care deficits towards people with dementia through the implementation of a training programme. The programme will be enriched by an observational study of the care of patients with dementia to identify areas of missed care.Method and analysisThis study will follow a mixed methodology consisting of three stages: (1) evaluation of the level of nurses’ knowledge and attitudes towards dementia care through the use of structured questionnaires, (2) observational study to evaluate nursing care in hospital settings, in order to detect any missed care and (3) quasi-experimental study, with a before-and-after design, through the implementation of the training programme in order to incr...

Developing the evidence base for evaluating dementia training in NHS hospitals (DEMTRAIN): a mixed-methods study protocol

BMJ Open

IntroductionAround 70% of acute hospital beds in the UK are occupied by older people, approximately 40% of whom have dementia. Improving the quality of care in hospitals is a key priority within national dementia strategies. Limited research has been conducted to evaluate dementia training packages for staff, and evaluation of training often focuses on immediate, on-the-day training feedback and effects.ObjectivesOur study aims to answer two research questions: (1) How do variations in content, implementation and intensity of staff dementia training in acute hospitals in England relate to health service outcome/process measures and staff outcomes? and (2) What components of staff dementia training are most strongly related to improved patient and staff outcomes?Methods and analysisUsing the principles of programme theory, a mixed-method study will be used to identify mechanisms and the interactions between them, as well as facilitators and barriers to dementia training in hospitals....

Dementia-specific training for nursing home staff

Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie, 2017

Dementia-specific training for nursing home staff A systematic literature review Currently 47.5 million people worldwide are affected by dementia. With the increasing numbers of the elderly in the population, it is estimated that in 2050 there will be 135.5 million cases of dementia. Despite the considerable effort in pharmacological research, so far there is no medication successful beyond symptomatic treatment of symptoms, let alone able to cure dementia. Thus, high-quality care of people with dementia is vital. In nursing homes this care is provided by the staff, who therefore require dementia-specific training enabling them to improve the quality of life (QoL) in people with dementia.

Adequacy of training in dementia care for acute hospital staff

Nursing Older People, 2012

People with dementia are frequently admitted to general wards where their dementia is often unrecognised and related healthcare needs are unaddressed. This article examines how staff view the training they have received in assessing and caring for people with dementia who are admitted to hospital. It reports on the results of the National Audit of Dementia (Care in General Hospitals); staff completed questionnaires reporting the sufficiency of their training in 13 main areas related to dementia care. Responses were obtained from 270 doctors, 968 qualified nurses and 541 healthcare assistants (HCAs); 690 worked on medical wards, 677 on surgical/orthopaedic wards and 412 on care of older people wards. Doctors felt more adequately trained than nurses or HCAs. Nurses on medical and surgical/orthopaedic wards thought their training was less sufficient than their colleagues working on care of older people wards. The authors conclude that nurses and HCAs working on wards not specialising in the care of older people should receive increased training in dementia care.