Evaluating the effectiveness of the gentle persuasive approach on dementia care competencies for nurses practicing in longterm care

Abstract

Background: Nurses practicing in LTC are frontline caregivers for those living with dementia, which involves managing responsive behaviors such as aggression. There is a need for nurses to be prepared with the knowledge and competency for effectively caring for people with dementia in LTC. The Gentle Persuasive Approach (GPA) is an innovative interdisciplinary curriculum informed by person-centered care (PCC) designed for front-line staff providing direct care for people living with dementia. This evidence-based education focuses on providing staff the increased knowledge, skills, and confidence to support the person with dementia. Purpose: to evaluate the effectiveness of the Gentle Persuasive Approach education workshop on dementia care competencies for nurses practicing in the Long-Term Care (LTC) setting. Methods: 1) an integrated literature review, 2) consultation interviews with key stakeholders and 4) an evaluation of the GPA educational workshop for the region and LTC setting it is being implemented in nursing practice. Results: Findings from the methods established the need for the evaluation of the GPA education workshop. The literature revealed a knowledge gap exists for LTC nurses relating to the management of challenging and responsive behaviours of people living with dementia due to a reported basic knowledge of dementia care included in professional nurses’ entry level education into the profession. The consultations reinforced the importance for GPA education for LTC nurses. The evaluation revealed the positive impact GPA education has on nurse confidence and knowledge for dementia care with valuable insights to strengthen these practices within LTC. Conclusion: The findings highlight the significance of GPA education in elevating the standards of dementia care within the LTC practice setting while providing a foundation for continuous improvement in nursing practice.