title: Dementia nurses' experience of the Mental Capacity Act 2005: a follow-up study.
abstract: Specialist community dementia nurses are an appropriate sample to investigate longer-term decision-making and end-of-life care planning. Implemented in 2007, the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) provides opportunities for assisting with planning and making decisions on others' behalf, and may be expected to be entrenched within clinical practice. We conducted follow-up qualitative interviews with 15 community-based dementia nurses to detect changes and developments in views and practices of the MCA. Thematic analysis identified recurrent themes and developed into a coding framework. At Time2, there was greater awareness of general and specific principles of MCA and greater confidence in using it. There was greater involvement in discussing planning finances, less so in end-of-life-care. Some participants were concerned about lack of understanding amongst other professionals and felt more public awareness was required. Supplementary training, opportunities for mentoring and supervision may develop greater confidence among dementia practitioners and support their roles in informing and advising people with dementia and carers.
authors.affiliation: King's College London, UK.
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Manthorpe
authors.forename: Kritika
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Samsi
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rapaport
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032722:Advance Care Planning; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003657:Decision Making; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D004739:England; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009726:Nurses / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013041:Specialties, Nursing; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; decision-making; dementia; qualitative; specialist community nurses