Yaghmour Sara Mahmoud, Bartlett Ruth
Health Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Saudi Arabia.
Dement Geriatr Cogn Dis Extra. 2025 May 30;15(1):78-98. doi: 10.1159/000546074. eCollection 2025 Jan-Dec.
Nurses in Saudi Arabia lack sufficient training in dementia care, a challenge compounded by cultural beliefs that frame dementia as fate rather than a medical condition. This gap in knowledge and skills hinders nurses' ability to provide appropriate support to people living with dementia in hospital settings. This study investigated Saudi Arabian hospital nurses' knowledge (cognitive expertise), attitudes (feelings and behaviors), and perceptions (thoughts, concerns, and interpretations of behaviors) of caring for people living with dementia to inform future training programs.
The study used a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, conducted in six hospital settings in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between March and July 2018. Quantitative data were gathered using two validated tools: the Dementia Attitude Scale and the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Tool Version 2. Qualitative data consisted of diary entries for ten working days followed by semi-structured interviews. Data integration was performed using the Pillar Integration Process.
A paper survey was completed by 710 nurses, with 17 keeping a diary and 18 participating in interviews. The survey identified themes of knowledge-attitude links, work environment impact, cultural and educational influences, low confidence levels, and gaps in dementia care knowledge. Diary-interviews revealed themes such as knowledge acquisition, attitude-driven behaviors, perceptions of dementia care, professional challenges, and suggestions for improving care. The Pillar Integration Process highlighted five key findings: (1) a lack of knowledge is linked to low confidence in nursing people with dementia, (2) nurses are eager to learn but face limited access to resources, (3) attitudes, emotions, and communication challenges influence care delivery, (4) stigmas and cultural norms negatively impact dementia care, and (5) organizational factors hinder care quality.
Saudi Arabian nurses face significant challenges in dementia care, including inadequate knowledge, resource constraints, and negative attitudes. These findings emphasize the need for targeted training and policy interventions to improve dementia care quality. This study highlights nurses' emotional strain and practical difficulties in dementia care, providing insights for global improvements in dementia care practices and support for nurses' well-being.
沙特阿拉伯的护士在痴呆症护理方面缺乏足够的培训，而将痴呆症视为命运而非医学病症的文化观念使这一挑战更加复杂。知识和技能的差距阻碍了护士在医院环境中为痴呆症患者提供适当支持的能力。本研究调查了沙特阿拉伯医院护士在照顾痴呆症患者方面的知识（认知专长）、态度（感受和行为）以及认知（对行为的想法、担忧和解读），以为未来的培训项目提供参考。
该研究采用了序列解释性混合方法设计，在沙特阿拉伯吉达的六个医院环境中进行。数据收集于2018年3月至7月之间。定量数据通过两种经过验证的工具收集：痴呆症态度量表和痴呆症知识评估工具第2版。定性数据包括十个工作日的日记记录，随后进行半结构化访谈。数据整合使用支柱整合过程进行。
710名护士完成了纸质调查，17人写了日记，18人参与了访谈。调查确定了知识 - 态度联系、工作环境影响、文化和教育影响、信心水平低以及痴呆症护理知识差距等主题。日记 - 访谈揭示了知识获取、态度驱动行为、痴呆症护理认知、专业挑战以及改善护理建议等主题。支柱整合过程突出了五个关键发现：（1）知识不足与对痴呆症患者护理的信心低有关；（2）护士渴望学习，但获取资源的机会有限；（3）态度、情绪和沟通挑战影响护理提供；（4）耻辱感和文化规范对痴呆症护理产生负面影响；（5）组织因素阻碍护理质量。
沙特阿拉伯护士在痴呆症护理方面面临重大挑战，包括知识不足、资源限制和消极态度。这些发现强调了针对性培训和政策干预以提高痴呆症护理质量的必要性。本研究突出了护士在痴呆症护理中的情感压力和实际困难，为全球改善痴呆症护理实践以及支持护士的福祉提供了见解。
