title: An investigation of nursing students' knowledge of dementia: A questionnaire study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Globally, rising rates of dementia indicate the need for more nurses skilled in caring for people with this condition. However nursing students may not acquire the requisite knowledge from existing undergraduate curricula.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the dementia knowledge of second-year nursing students before and after a supported placement in a residential aged care facility. Assessment of the level of knowledge of dementia is important to provide evidence of the need to enhance dementia learning in the nursing curriculum.
  
  
  METHODS
  A pre-post control-intervention questionnaire study.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 Tasmanian residential aged care facilities (RACFs).
  
  
  METHODS
  99 Tasmanian second-year nursing undergraduate students (52 intervention, 47 control).
  
  
  METHODS
  Second year nursing students were engaged in a three week RACF clinical placement at one of the 14 control facilities or one of the 2 involved in the development of teaching aged care facilities. Pre/post data were collected using the 21-item 'Dementia Knowledge Assessment Tool 2.0' and demographic survey questions, and analysed using descriptive analyses and nonparametric significance tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The data showed that these nursing students had a poor knowledge of dementia, with limited understanding of key items relevant to their clinical practice. Knowledge of dementia was significantly improved after students' participation in supported clinical placements at an intervention residential aged care facility. This knowledge improvement was significantly higher than that of students who attended clinical placements at control facilities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A well-supported clinical placement at a residential aged care facility can improve nursing students' knowledge of dementia, in particular in relation to aspects directly relevant to their clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia. Electronic address: Claire.Eccleston@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Claire E A
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Eccleston
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences & Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia. Electronic address: Emma.Lea@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Emma J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: Australian Catholic University/Mercy Health, Locked Bag 4115, Fitzroy MDC, Victoria 3065, Australia. Electronic address: Fran.McInerney@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Fran
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: McInerney
authors.affiliation: School of Health Sciences, University of Tasmania, Locked Bag 1322, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia. Electronic address: Elaine.Crisp@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Crisp
authors.affiliation: University of Tasmania, Private Bag 1322, Launceston, TAS 7250, Australia. Electronic address: Annette.Marlow@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Annette
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marlow
authors.affiliation: Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, Faculty of Health, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 143, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia. Electronic address: Andrew.Robinson@utas.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D005851:Geriatric Nursing / Q000193:education*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013648:Tasmania; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Clinical placement; Curriculum; Dementia; Dementia care; Knowledge; Nursing student; Questionnaire