Date of Conferral
2017
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Andrea Jennings-Sanders
Abstract
In 2011, 5 million Americans had dementia and this number is predicted to increase. As the number of people with dementia increases, the need for quality nursing care, education, and treatment for patients with dementia increases. To address the need, nurses not only must be prepared with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to care for patients with dementia, but they must also have the self-efficacy to provide quality care. The practice focused question guiding the project was to determine the level of self-efficacy for caring for dementia patients among long-term care nursing staff. Using Bandura's social cognitive theory, the purpose of this project was to gain information about the self-efficacy of nurses caring for dementia patients at one long-term care facility. Forty nurse participants each completed the 25-item, 5-point Likert scale Self-Efficacy in Dementia Care Survey. The quantitative data were descriptively analyzed to identify nursing training needed for tasks related to dementia patient care. Administrating medications, providing early management information, educating patient families, maneuvering the environment, and influencing the emotional response of patients were areas of knowledge and skill deficit for nurse participants. Findings from the project will be used to guide education and training to improve nurse self-efficacy in working with dementia patients. When nurses in long-term care facilities enhance their skills and knowledge, they may be able to provide better care to dementia patients, therefore promoting social change.
Recommended Citation
Hopkins, Wendy, "Evaluating Nurses' Self-Efficacy in Caring for Patients with Dementia" (2017). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 3450.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/3450
