Date of Conferral
5-23-2025
Date of Award
May 2025
Degree
Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)
School
Nursing
Advisor
Diane Whitehead
Abstract
Dementia is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that is incurable and unpredictable. Patients with dementia experience a decline in functional abilities, communication, and social skills. Fifty-five million people worldwide live with dementia with over 6.9 million people over 65 years of age diagnosed in the United States. The practice problem identified by a 25-bed assisted living facility in the north-central United States was staff’s lack of knowledge of dementia diagnosis, person-centered care approaches, and optimal care strategies supporting a positive quality of life for patients with dementia. The practice-focused question addressed whether an education program consisting of evidence-based practices using the capabilities model of dementia care would increase the direct care staff’s knowledge and perceived confidence in caring for patients with dementia. Ten participants participated in the staff education program. There was an improvement in the responses for scores 5, 6, 7, (5 = somewhat agree, 6 = agree, and 7 = strongly agree) for all items that described a person-centered positive approach to patient care, and there were decreases to 0 for all questions that described a non-personhood approach to patient care. After completion of the education program, the 10 participants strongly agreed that they had the knowledge to provide evidence-based care for patients with dementia and felt competent to carry out the plan. The education program framed by the capabilities model of dementia care contributed to positive social change by improving staff’s knowledge, competence, and understanding of patients with dementia as human beings with value.
Recommended Citation
Soda, Vanessa Ann, "Staff Education to Improve Quality of Life for Patients With Dementia" (2025). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 17860.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/17860
