Challenges in Nursing Care of the Elderly with Dementia at Advanced Treatment Hospitals

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24792566
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Community health/Gerontological nurisng
• Research Institution: Sapporo Medical University
• Principal Investigator: KIJIMA TERUMI 札幌医科大学, 保健医療学部, 講師 (40363709)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 認知症 / 高齢者 / 特定機能病院 / 看護 / 急性期病院

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Interviews were conducted with 24 nurses working at advanced treatment hospitals in Japan. A qualitative analysis of their narratives identified seven areas they found challenging in the care of elderly patients who also had dementia, including “accident prevention”, “witnessing life functioning impairment when receiving best possible treatment for disease” and “discharge arrangements”. Eight categories were extracted as supportive initiatives taken by nurses, such as “using a restraint or alternative means to prevent accidents” and “liaising with other nursing team members/other disciplines“. Accident prevention is the top priority in the advanced clinical setting and elderly patients often experience deterioration of their functioning even though their disease has been cured. When the elderly with dementia are admitted to advanced treatment hospitals, multi-disciplinary collaboration is essential from an early stage of admission to prevent their functional impairment.

Free Research Field

老年看護学