Improving the hospital environment for people with dementia.
This article is the third in a series presenting examples of the positive work achieved by trusts who participated in the Royal College of Nursing's development programme to improve dementia care in acute hospitals. The hospital environment is often disorientating for people with dementia and can be particularly distressing when a patient is admitted in an emergency. Subsequent ward moves can also be disruptive and confusing, especially if they take place out of hours. Two NHS trusts aimed to improve the experience for patients with dementia by addressing the physical environment along with practical aspects of care provision at different stages in the hospital journey. The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn NHS Foundation Trust in Norfolk enhanced its emergency department environment by redesigning four bays and an observation area to be dementia-friendly. The hospital has supported these changes by providing dementia awareness training for all staff in these areas. Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust focused on minimising ward moves by implementing procedures to identify patients who should not be moved. Since introducing the new process, adherence has been good and there have been fewer ward moves.
University of Worcester.
Jennifer
J
Bray
University of Worcester.
Simon
S
Evans
University of Worcester.
Mary
M
Bruce
University of Worcester.
Christine
C
Carter
University of Worcester.
Dawn
D
Brooker
University of Worcester.
Sarah
S
Milosevic
Admiral Nursing, Dementia UK.
Rachel
R
Thompson
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
Jane
J
Longden
Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust.
Jennifer
J
Robinson
D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D006272:Health Facility Environment; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D006113:United Kingdom
acute hospitals; dementia; dementia-friendly environments; development programme; emergency departments; older people; ward moves