title: Impact of a person-centred dementia care training programme on hospital staff attitudes, role efficacy and perceptions of caring for people with dementia: A repeated measures study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  People with dementia occupy up to one quarter of acute hospital beds. However, the quality of care delivered to this patient group is of national concern. Staff working in acute hospitals report lack of knowledge, skills and confidence in caring for people with dementia. There is limited evidence about the most effective approaches to supporting acute hospital staff to deliver more person-centred care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a specialist training programme for acute hospital staff regarding improving attitudes, satisfaction and feelings of caring efficacy, in provision of care to people with dementia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A repeated measures design, with measures completed immediately prior to commencing training (T1), after completion of Foundation level training (T2: 4-6 weeks post-baseline), and following Intermediate level training (T3: 3-4 months post-baseline).
  
  
  METHODS
  One NHS Trust in the North of England, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  40 acute hospital staff working in clinical roles, the majority of whom (90%) were nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  All participants received the 3.5 day Person-centred Care Training for Acute Hospitals (PCTAH) programme, comprised of two levels, Foundation (0.5 day) and Intermediate (3 days), delivered over a 3-4 months period. Staff demographics and previous exposure to dementia training were collected via a questionnaire. Staff attitudes were measured using the Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ), satisfaction in caring for people with dementia was captured using the Staff Experiences of Working with Demented Residents questionnaire (SEWDR) and perceived caring efficacy was measured using the Caring Efficacy Scale (CES).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The training programme was effective in producing a significant positive change on all three outcome measures following intermediate training compared to baseline. A significant positive effect was found on the ADQ between baseline and after completion of Foundation level training, but not for either of the other measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Training acute hospital staff in Intermediate level person-centred dementia care is effective in producing significant improvements in attitudes towards and satisfaction in caring for people with dementia and feelings of caring efficacy. Foundation level training is effective in changing attitudes but does not seem to be sufficient to bring about change in satisfaction or caring efficacy.
authors.affiliation: School of Health and Communities Studies, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, UK. Electronic address: c.a.surr@leedsbeckett.ac.uk.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Surr
authors.affiliation: School of Dementia Studies, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford, UK.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Donisthorpe Hall, Leeds, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Crossland
authors.affiliation: School of Dementia Studies, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Bradford, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Robins
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003704:Dementia / Q000628:therapy*; D004506:Education, Nursing; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009629:Person-Centered Psychotherapy; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Acute hospitals; Dementia; Education; General hospitals; Person-centred care; Staff training