title: A Changing Healthcare System Model: The Effectiveness of Knowledge, Attitude, and Skill of Nursing Assistants Who Attend Senile Dementia Patients in Nursing Homes in Xi'an, China - A Questionnaire Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In 2010, China had an elderly population of 1.78 billion people. As in other societies around the world, China is facing a growing challenge in providing care for its elderly citizens. Ensuring the highest quality of care for elderly patients, many of whom have senile dementia, is directly related to the performance of nursing assistants.
  
  
  METHODS
  With the goal of investigating the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of nursing assistants who care for senile dementia patients in nursing homes in Xi'an, China, we distributed a survey and analyzed the responses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nursing assistants showed dedication and sincerity in their care for senile dementia patients. However, their performances in the categories of life nursing and mental nursing reveal room for improvement. Further, the nursing assistants did not display adequate knowledge about senile dementia. Based on survey results, the knowledge of the nursing assistants concerning nursing safety was comparatively adequate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nursing assistants who care for senile dementia patients in nursing homes in Xi'an, China, require further training that expands their knowledge and increases their capabilities. We recommend that nursing homes in Xi'an offer a standardized professional nurse/nurse assistant training course that focuses on care for elderly patients with senile dementia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Nursing, College of Nursing, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, National Key Discipline of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, National Key Discipline of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Yue-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA ; Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Aaron Joshua
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA ; Department of Pharmacology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Alan David
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA.
authors.forename: Franklin Rivera
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Bueno
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, National Key Discipline of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pei
keywords: Dementia; health knowledge–attitudes–practice; nursing; nursing home