Tomas Nestor, Mangundu Andrias M
Department of General Nursing Science, Faculty of Health Science and Veterinary Medicine, University of Namibia, Rundu, Namibia.
Health SA. 2024 Aug 20;29:2692. doi: 10.4102/hsag.v29i0.2692. eCollection 2024.
Dementia is a significant public health concern and a leading cause of disability and dependency among elderly individuals globally. However, there is currently limited research examining the perceptions and attitudes of healthcare providers, including nursing students, in Namibia.
This study aimed to examine nursing students' perceptions and attitudes of caring for patients with dementia.
The study was conducted at two university campuses in Namibia.
A quantitative correlational design was employed to conveniently recruit 196 third- and fourth-year nursing students between April and August 2023, utilising the Geriatric In-Hospital Nursing Care Questionnaire (GerINCQ) online survey. Data were analysed using SPSSv28 for descriptive and inferential statistics.
The perception score ranged from 2.26 to 2.43, indicating negative attitudes and perceptions towards dementia care. The highest mean perception of 2.43 (95% CI = 2.3-2.55) was on reacting to challenging behaviour and the lowest was on professional responsibility 2.26 (95% CI = 2.12-2.4). Correlations were observed between age and performed interventions ( = 0.66; = 0.01) and gender and dementia-sensitive care ( = 0.52; = 0.01).
The study revealed unfavourable attitudes and perceptions towards dementia care among nursing students, contrary to the optimistic anticipation. The results highlight the urgent need to develop and integrate dementia care strategies and practices into nursing education curricula.
This study provides valuable data for informing quality assurance initiatives aimed at improving nursing training in dementia care.
痴呆症是一个重大的公共卫生问题，也是全球老年人残疾和依赖的主要原因。然而，目前在纳米比亚，针对包括护理专业学生在内的医疗保健提供者的认知和态度的研究有限。
本研究旨在调查护理专业学生对照顾痴呆症患者的认知和态度。
该研究在纳米比亚的两个大学校园进行。
采用定量相关设计，于2023年4月至8月间，通过在线调查使用老年住院护理调查问卷（GerINCQ），方便地招募了196名三年级和四年级护理专业学生。使用SPSSv28进行数据的描述性和推断性统计分析。
认知得分在2.26至2.43之间，表明对痴呆症护理持消极态度和认知。对具有挑战性的行为做出反应的平均认知得分最高，为2.43（95%置信区间=2.3-2.55），而对专业责任的认知得分最低，为2.26（95%置信区间=2.12-2.4）。观察到年龄与所实施的干预措施之间存在相关性（=0.66；=0.01），以及性别与痴呆症敏感护理之间存在相关性（=0.52；=0.01）。
该研究揭示了护理专业学生对痴呆症护理的不利态度和认知，这与乐观预期相反。结果凸显了迫切需要制定痴呆症护理策略和实践并将其纳入护理教育课程。
本研究为旨在改善痴呆症护理方面护理培训的质量保证举措提供了有价值的数据。
