title: Literature review: understanding nursing competence in dementia care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to review dementia nursing competencies. The objectives were to explain the relevancy of dementia competencies across care settings and levels of practice.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Dementia is strongly associated with increasing age and as the world population ages there is an imperative to ensure the healthcare workforce is fully equipped to meet the needs of people with dementia and their carers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A literature review study addressed the research aim and objectives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature sources were (i) academic databases, (ii) the internet and (iii) snowballing. Search terms were 'dementia', 'care standards', 'training and education' and 'competency'.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample consisted of 59 reviewed publications. A synthesis of the findings generated 10 dementia competencies: (i) Understanding Dementia; (ii) Recognising Dementia; (iii) Effective Communication; (iv) Assisting with Daily Living Activities; (v) Promoting a Positive Environment; (vi) Ethical and Person-Centred Care; (vii) Therapeutic Work (Interventions); (viii) Responding the needs of Family Carers; (ix) Preventative Work and Health Promotion and (x) Special Needs Groups. There were also five levels of practice: (i) Novice; (ii) Beginner; (iii) Competent; (iv) Proficient and (v) Expert and no care setting specific competencies were generated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Government initiatives demonstrate commitments to dementia, such as Australia's adoption of dementia as a National Health Priority and the UK National Dementia Strategy. Registration boards for the nursing workforce in Japan and the UK included dementia competencies in generalist frameworks to emphasise the importance of dementia as a healthcare issue. This study demonstrated that there is no dementia competency framework relevant across care settings or levels of practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An empirical study will develop a multi-disciplinary dementia competency framework relevant across care settings and levels of practice to ensure the healthcare workforce can effectively deliver services to people with dementia and their carers.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation, Continuing & Aged Care and NSW/ACT Dementia Training Study Centre, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia. victoria_traynor@uow.edu.au
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Traynor
authors.forename: Kumiyo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crookes
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D006801:Humans