Interventions to Improve the Nursing Care of People with Dementia in Canadian Hospitals: An Environmental Scan.

As the number of people with dementia admitted to hospitals is expected to grow, now is the time to identify methods to improve nursing care of this population. We conducted an environmental scan to identify and describe interventions in Canadian hospitals to improve the nursing care of people with dementia, how they are being evaluated and what issues influence the success of interventions. Methods included a search of published and unpublished literature and key stakeholder interviews. Interventions are described under three categories: (1) interventions to improve nurses' knowledge, attitudes and skills; (2) interventions to address responsive behaviours; and (3) interventions to help nurses individualize care. The evaluation of interventions rarely included an evaluation of effectiveness and more often included a qualitative evaluation of nurses' experiences with interventions. We summarize the factors affecting the implementation of interventions following the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (Damschroder et al. 2009) and suggest strategies for supporting the success of interventions to improve patient care and the experiences of nurses working with people with dementia.

Nursing interventions to improve care of people with dementia in hospital: a mixed methods systematic review protocol.

OBJECTIVE: This review will focus on the effectiveness of, and experience with, nursing interventions to improve the care of people with dementia in hospital. INTRODUCTION: Acute care for people with dementia has been identified as an area for improvement. Admission to hospital can be upsetting and difficult for people with dementia and can be associated with negative outcomes. Nurses play a significant role in shaping the experience of hospitalization and are the focus of many related interventions. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This mixed methods review will examine literature on improving acute care for people with dementia. The quantitative component will consider studies that evaluate nursing interventions to improve care of people with dementia, comparing the intervention with usual care, other therapies, or no comparator. Outcomes will include behavioral, health, and health system indicators. The qualitative component will consider studies that explore the experience of nursing interventions from the perspective of people with dementia, their family- or friend-caregivers, and nurses. METHODS: This review will be conducted in accordance with JBI methodology for mixed methods systematic reviews. Twelve databases and gray literature sources will be searched for published and unpublished studies. Titles, abstracts, and full-text selections will be screened by two or more independent reviewers and assessed for methodological validity using the standard JBI critical assessment tools. This review will follow a convergent segregated approach to data synthesis and integration. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42021230951.