Impact of Experiential Dementia Care Learning on Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes of Nursing Students: A Systematic Literature Review

Comparison of face to face and online delivery of a dementia-specific experiential learning activity

During the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare professions shifted from face to face(F2F) to online educational delivery methods. Research evaluating the effectiveness of online educational delivery is mixed.The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a dementia-specific experiential learning activity(ELA) delivered to Doctor of Physical Therapy(DPT) students face to face(F2F) versus online. Participants included a sample of DPT students (n = 171) from four consecutive cohorts. In this quasi-experimental, single-site two-factor design study, students participated in either a F2F(n = 84) or online version (n = 87) of an ELA. They completed a dementia survey pre-(T1) and post-ELA(T2). Pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated significant improvements between T1 and T2 for both groups. The interaction of group by time F(1,169) = 287.61, p < 0.01 indicates a main effect for groups over time. Analysis did not demonstrate significance between versions for T1 or T2. The interaction of time by group F(1,169) = 1.08, p = 0.30 indicates there was not an interaction of time by group.This study provided strong evidence that students benefitted from the dementia-specific ELA regardless of delivery method. Both methods proved equally effective, as there was no statistically significant difference between them. Programs may consider online experiences to increase schedule flexibility and content accessibility.

The effect of combining an e-learning module with s Virtual Dementia Tour® on knowledge and attitudes toward person-centered dementia care in prelicensure nursing education

BACKGROUND

Due to the global prevalence of dementia the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease recommended that healthcare professionals prepare to address the complex needs of people with dementia. To address this gap, nursing programs adopted experiential learning methods. While such methodologies are increasingly used, limited evidence exists to inform best teaching practices.

PURPOSE

This study evaluated the combined effect of an e-learning module with a virtual simulation on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes of dementia.

METHODS

The study followed quasi-experimental design with a cross-over and pretest/posttest design. A convenience sample of nursing students was recruited from three public universities in the Southeast United States.

RESULTS

Significant improvements in attitudes toward people with dementia were found in students with previous dementia care experience or those employed to provide services to people with dementia. Experience was a stronger predictor of attitudes than education. However, the reliability of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale was not sufficient in this study.

SIGNIFICANCE

The findings may inform best practices in nursing education to prepare graduates to provide quality care for people with dementia.

Virtual reality-based dementia educational programmes for formal and informal caregivers of people with dementia: A scoping review

AIM

To map evidence of the existing virtual reality-based dementia educational programmes and the effects of these educational programmes on dementia formal and informal caregivers.

DESIGN

A scoping review.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of nine databases was conducted to find studies from the inception of the databases to October 2023. Two authors independently screened the titles and abstracts related to the eligibility criteria. Full texts of potentially relevant studies were read by one author and checked by a second. Data extraction and synthesis using NVivo 12 were undertaken by one author and checked by two other authors.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies published between 2002 and 2022. The four randomised controlled studies and five qualitative studies were of moderate to good methodological quality. The 10 quasi-experimental studies were of weak to moderate quality. Fifteen virtual reality-based educational programmes had a positive influence on formal and informal caregivers, including improving caregivers' perceptions changing attitudes towards people with dementia, while the nursing competence of formal caregivers did not improve in short term. Educational programmes that covered dementia-related information and care strategies better improved the knowledge level of dementia formal and informal caregivers.

CONCLUSIONS

The qualitative and quantitative studies of moderate to good quality included in this study support the idea that virtual reality-based dementia educational programmes may be a safe and effective way and have potential benefits for improving knowledge, perceptions, attitudes and nursing competence.

IMPACT

This scoping review will provide an emerging teaching model for formal and informal caregivers of people with dementia and help them better understand the types and the influence of virtual reality-based dementia educational programmes.

REPORTING METHOD

PRISMA-ScR.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Not required as this review in accordance with the aim to map existing literature from the dementia formal and informal caregivers' perspective.

Impact of a short-duration experiential learning activity on DPT students' attitudes toward patients living with a dementia

Healthcare practitioners (HCP) have expressed inadequate preparation in providing care to patients living with a dementia. Research suggests experiential learning activities (ELAs) can improve HCP knowledge and comfort toward this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a short-duration (2-hour) dementia ELA on Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students' knowledge and comfort toward individuals living with a dementia. Participants included a sample of first-year DPT students (n=82).  In this pre-experimental, single-site, longitudinal study, students participated in an ELA at a memory care facility. They completed a dementia knowledge and comfort survey pre-(T1) and post-ELA(T2), as well as prior to their first clinical experience (nine months post-ELA; T3). Pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated significant improvements between T1 to T2 and T1 to T3 with overall effect sizes ranging from very large (d=1.256) to huge (d=1.520). There were no significant differences between T2 to T3 analysis. Students demonstrated positive improvements in attitudes toward individuals living with a dementia following this ELA. Improvements were maintained over time. An ELA as short as two hours may improve person-centered care for patients living with a dementia. These types of activities should be considered for inclusion in DPT curricula.

Proposing a communication module to enhance dental students' attitudes towards people with dementia: Phase 1 of a curriculum revision study

INTRODUCTION

The number of mentally altered patients a dentist meets in practice is increasing and interaction with them can be very challenging. As a baseline for an interventional study, we want to assess the attitude of dental students and identify areas of improvement in patient communication. This work compares the attitude of dental students towards people suffering from dementia to the attitudes of trained medical caregivers and the general population. Our aim is to use the results to assess the need for training in communicating with mentally altered patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Fourth-year dental students attended two lectures on dementia given by a psychiatrist as part of the geriatric dentistry lecture and were questioned afterwards using the Dementia Attitude Scale. In 2016 and 2017, 73 students at the University of Greifswald were interviewed. The response rate was 84%. Using a factor analysis, the Dementia Attitude Scale's validated questions were interpreted and compared with data from nursing staff from Switzerland and the USA.

RESULTS

The factor analysis of the data showed the same two-factor loadings as the comparative groups, and that dental students' attitude is more comparable to the general population than to medically trained nursing staff.

CONCLUSION

Given the results, we conclude that the implementation of a communication module can serve in improving the attitude of dental students towards patients with dementia.

Dementia Knowledge, Attitude toward Dementia, and Confidence in Dementia Care: Impact of a Dementia Training on German Nursing Students

Background

The number of people with dementia (PwD) in acute care hospitals is steadily increasing, posing a challenge for those who work closely with patients. To date, no German study has addressed the extent to which prospective nurses benefit from dementia training in terms of their knowledge, attitudes, and confidence in caring for PwD.

Objective

The aim of this study is to investigate whether a validated dementia training for registered nurses can positively change nursing students' knowledge about dementia, their attitude toward PwD, and their confidence in caring for them, as well as the stability over time.

Methods

In the one-group pre-test, post-test design, a sample of 81 nursing students was recruited from two nursing schools in Germany between May and June 2023. They completed a questionnaire consisting of the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Scale, the Dementia Attitude Scale, and the Confidence in Dementia Scale, as well as sociodemographic questions and experiences with PwD at three measurement points. The data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test and repeated measures ANOVA.

Results

The training has a significant effect on knowledge in dementia (z = -5.07, p < 0.001), attitude toward PwD (z = -4.42, p < 0.001), and confidence in caring for them at the post-test (z = -3. 21, p < 0.001, r = 0.36). The repeated measures ANOVA shows stability over time only for dementia knowledge.

Conclusions

The results indicate the need for further research in this field as well as the validation of the dementia training specifically addressing nursing students.

Teaching Oncology Nurses a Psychosocial Intervention for Advanced Cancer: A Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study

OBJECTIVES

Psychological interventions for advanced cancer patients are effective in decreasing distress but are not well integrated into cancer care. Oncology nurses are well positioned to deliver such interventions, and their participation may enhance professional satisfaction and wellbeing. Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) is an evidence-based psychotherapy supporting advanced cancer patients. A CALM-Nurses (CALM-N) training program was developed to teach oncology nurses the basics of CALM for use in daily practice. Feasibility and acceptability of CALM-N and its impact on professional wellbeing were assessed in this pilot study.

DATA SOURCES

Fifty-five nurses attended CALM-N in three groups. Thirty-five nurses completed the first e-learning, 29 nurses (83%) attended the first group session, and 22 (63%) attended all sessions. At baseline, 35 questionnaires were collected. Response rate at follow-up was 63% for Jefferson Scale of Empathy (n=22), 66% for self-efficacy scale (n=23), and for subscales of Professional Quality of Life Scale burnout; 51% (n=18), secondary traumatic stress; 49% (n=17), compassion satisfaction; 57% (n=20). A statistically significant increase in self-efficacy was found, but there were no significant changes in PROQOL and empathy. Focus groups suggested CALM-N helped nurses' understanding of patients and nurse-patient communication and increased reflection and perspective taking.

CONCLUSION

CALM-N is a feasible and acceptable intervention for oncology nurses, with the potential to improve nurse-patient communication and the nurses' reflective capacities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE

CALM-N has the potential to improve the capacity of oncology nurses to provide psychosocial care for advanced cancer patients and its application to nursing practice merits further investigation.

Identifying undergraduate nurses´ learning requirements and teaching strategies in dementia care education: A nominal group technique

AIM

Identify priorities and reach a consensus on student nurses´ learning requirements and the best-suited teaching strategies in dementia care.

BACKGROUND

Dementia has become a global health priority. Nurses are primary service providers for people with dementia, but they may fall short on professional training. Nursing curricula still lacks a clear educational framework for dementia, meaning that nurse educators must make decisions amidst uncertainty.

DESIGN

Nominal group technique based on the conceptual framework proposed by Van de Ven and Delbecq (1972).

METHODS

A structured face-to-face meeting convened in November 2021 involved nine participants who were directly involved in dementia care. The steps in the technique were (a) idea generation, (b) round-robin recording, (c) discussion, (d) voting and ranking, (e) discussion on the vote and (f) re-ranking. Participants answered two nominal questions. Consent, anonymity, feedback and iteration were guaranteed throughout the process.

RESULTS

The nominal group prioritized theoretical understanding of dementia, communication, caregivers´ needs, comprehensive assessment and ethical practice as learning requirements for nursing students. The outstanding teaching strategy discussed included various approaches to experiential learning.

CONCLUSIONS

The nominal group technique process explored learning requirement priorities for student nurses within a specific context. Participants discussed experiential learning as the best-suited teaching strategy. Findings could support nurse educators to design and deliver better dementia education.

Undergraduate nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes toward people with alzheimer's disease

As the population ages, the number of people living with Alzheimer's disease is expected to grow; consequently, nursing students are expected to care for more people with Alzheimer's disease in their future careers. Exploring nursing students' level of knowledge and attitudes is essential here to fill any knowledge gap and enhance attitudes. For this reason, the current study aimed to measure the knowledge of and attitudes toward people living with Alzheimer's disease among undergraduate Jordanian nursing students. A descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. Data were collected through an online questionnaire consisting of the Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and Dementia Attitudes Scale (DAS). A third part contained questions about previous formal education about Alzheimer's disease, reading Alzheimer's research, and the need for formal education about Alzheimer's disease. The study targeted all undergraduate Jordanian nursing students. A total of 275 students agreed to participate and completed the questionnaire. Jordanian nursing students had low knowledge regarding people living with Alzheimer's disease, with a mean ADKS score of 18.3 out of 30; however, their attitudes were positive, with a mean DAS score of 91 out of 140. There was no statistical difference in attitude or knowledge between different academic levels. The majority of students (90.5%) expressed their desire to have a formal education regarding Alzheimer's disease. Knowledge regarding people with Alzheimer's disease could be improved through training and education. Positive attitudes reported by students could augment the learning process.