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Caring for people with dementia in hospital: findings from a survey to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing best practice dementia care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2016

Joanne Tropea Open the ORCID record for Joanne Tropea [Opens in a new window] ,
Dina LoGiudice ,
Danny Liew ,
Carol Roberts  and
Caroline Brand
Joanne Tropea*
Affiliation:
Melbourne EpiCentre, Melbourne Health and University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia
Dina LoGiudice
Affiliation:
Department of Aged Care, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Park Campus, 34 Poplar Rd, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
Danny Liew
Affiliation:
Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
Carol Roberts
Affiliation:
Melbourne EpiCentre, Melbourne Health, Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia
Caroline Brand
Affiliation:
Melbourne EpiCentre, Melbourne Health and University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria, 3050, Australia Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Victoria, 3004, Australia
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Joanne Tropea, Melbourne EpiCentre, Melbourne Health and University of Melbourne, Grattan Street, Parkville Victoria 3050, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9342 8772; Fax: +61 3 9342 8780. Email: Joanne.Tropea@mh.org.au.
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Abstract

Background:

Best practice dementia care is not always provided in the hospital setting. Knowledge, attitudes and motivation, practitioner behavior, and external factors can influence uptake of best practice and quality care. The aim of this study was to determine hospital staff perceived barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care.

Methods:

A 17-item survey was administered at two Australian hospitals between July and September 2014. Multidisciplinary staff working in the emergency departments and general medical wards were invited to participate in the survey. The survey collected data about the respondents’ current role, work area, and years of experience, their perceived level of confidence and knowledge in dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care, job satisfaction in caring for people with dementia, and to rate the hospital's capacity and available resources to support best practice dementia care.

Results:

A total of 112 survey responses were received. The environment, inadequate staffing levels and workload, time, and staff knowledge and skills were identified as barriers to implementing best practice dementia care. Most respondents rated their knowledge of dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, and confidence in recognizing whether a person has dementia, as moderate or high dementia. Approximately, half the respondents rated access to training and equipment as low or very low.

Conclusion:

The survey findings highlighted hospital staff perceived barriers to implementing best practice dementia care that can be used to inform locally tailored improvement interventions.

Keywords

dementiahospital staffsurveydementia careknowledgebarriers
Type
Research Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , March 2017 , pp. 467 - 474
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2016 

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