title: Communicating with patients who have advanced dementia: training nurse aide students.
abstract: The increase of dementia in older adults is changing how medical care is delivered. Recognizing symptoms of pain, managing behaviors, and providing quality of life for people who have advanced dementia requires a new skill set for caregivers. Researchers in this study targeted nurse aide students to test an educational module's effect on students' perceptions of dementia and their ability to care for patients with dementia. The results indicated the training was effective regarding nurse aides' understanding of residual cognitive abilities and need for meaningful contact among patients with advanced dementia; however, the training was not successful in terms of nurse aides' comfort level or perceived skills in working with this population of patients. The findings suggest a need to transform how caregivers are trained in communication techniques. Incorporating this training into nurse aide education has the potential to increase quality of life for people with dementia.
authors.affiliation: School of Educational Research, Leadership, and Technology, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado, USA. lbeer@lesley.edu
authors.forename: Laura E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Beer
authors.forename: Susan R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Hutchinson
authors.forename: Kristine K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Skala-Cordes
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005853:Geriatrics / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education*; D011788:Quality of Life