An educational programme to improve acute care nurses' knowledge, attitudes and family caregiver involvement in care of people with cognitive impairment

Background: The population is ageing in South Korea, increasing the incidence of dementia and delirium. Despite this, registered nurses in South Korea tend to have poor understanding and limited involvement in the assessment of delirium. Aim: To evaluate the effect of an educational programme on acute care nurses' knowledge, attitudes and the potential for family caregiver involvement in care for older adults with cognitive impairment. Methods: A mixed-methods study that included a single group, pre–post design and individual interviews was used. Forty registered nurses were recruited from four medical wards of one regional general hospital in South Korea. A 3-month educational programme on care for older adults with cognitive impairment tailored to the specific learning needs of nurses and guided by adult learning principles was provided to participants. A purposive sample of 12 registered nurses who participated in the quantitative component, and a nominated sample of six family caregivers whose older family members were cared for by participating nurses, joined individual interviews. Results: The educational programme had a positive impact on nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment and attitudes towards older adults. The qualitative data indicated that the educational programme improved nurses' knowledge of cognitive impairment and their attitudes towards older adults with cognitive impairment. It also increased nurses' initial efforts to involve family caregivers in cognitive impairment care. Conclusion: Educational programmes are an effective means of improving nurses' knowledge and attitudes, but more research is required to explore the impact of such a programme on practice change and patient health-related outcomes including incidence of delirium, length of hospital stay and hospital-acquired complications.