Caregiving and dementia/Topics/Nursing

This page describes a Dementia Training Study Centre National Priority Area.

Nursing

This NPA focuses on nursing in the care of people with dementia.

Overview

A review of 59 publications about nursing competencies and dementia synthesised 10 dementia care competencies (Traynor, Inoue, & Crookes, 2011):

1. Understanding Dementia
2. Recognising Dementia
3. Effective Communication
4. Assisting with Daily Living Activities;
5. Promoting a Positive Environment
6. Ethical and Person-Centred Care
7. Therapeutic Work (Interventions)
8. Responding the needs of Family Carers
9. Preventative Work and Health Promotion and
10. Special Needs Groups.

There were also five levels of practice:

1. Novice
2. Beginner
3. Competent
4. Proficient and
5. Expert and no care setting

Competency standards for dementia care

As there is no dementia competency framework relevant across care settings or levels of practice, an empirical study will develop a multi-disciplinary dementia competency framework relevant across care settings and levels of practice to ensure the healthcare workforce can effectively deliver services to people with dementia and their carers (Traynor et al., 2011):

• Competency standards for dementia care

References

Traynor, V., Inoue, K., & Crookes, P. (2011). Literature review: understanding nursing competence in dementia care. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 20, 1948–1960. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2010.03511.x