Development of clinical and inter-personal skills to support people living with dementia

Abstract

There is a lack of understanding on how paramedic students develop their knowledge, skills and attitudes to support people living with dementia and their families in the community. This qualitative study used focus groups to explore paramedic students' perspectives. 1st and 3rd year paramedic students were recruited from two ambulance service providers in the South of England. Data were collected during 2017 and four themes emerged: 1) impact of dementia on all concerned 2) challenges of communicating with people with dementia 3) negative emotional response to dementia, and 4) lack of social care and pathways for people with dementia. A further two crosscutting themes emerged: 1) Learning in the classroom and 2) Learning 'on the road'. Paramedic students did not discuss person-centered approaches to supporting people with dementia; however they all acknowledged the impact of dementia as unique to each person, their family and situation.

Ambulance clinicians’ attitudes to older patients’ self‐determination when the patient has impaired decision‐making ability: A Delphi study

“…In part, this problem can be sensed in research stressing that ACs might lack awareness of the older patients' physical and mental abilities as they are often disregarded because patients do not convey their desires (Boltz et al, 2013). A study indicated that the capability to communicate and understand the patient as well as to obtain consent can be difficult (Brooke & Stiell, 2017). It can be assumed that these factors influence co-creation in the relationship between the older patient and the ACs.…”

Time for Dementia: an innovation in education

“…The preliminary findings discussed in the current article indicate a promising effect on preparing undergraduate paramedic students for future practice. Brooke and Stiell (2017) highlight a lack of research involving paramedic education around the care of people with dementia and their families. Findings of this research could contribute to an undergraduate paramedic education framework that improves emergency dementia care.…”

New horizons for caring for people with dementia in hospital: the DEMENTIA CARE pointers for service change

“…Making the personal and physical environment more familiar combats disorientation and lessens the fear and anxiety for people with dementia [ 60 , 63 , 68 ]. This can be helped by (i) limiting staff rotations across wards [ 37 ], (ii) fostering an environment that encourages staff, people with dementia and carers to get to know each other [ 16 , 66 , 67 , 69 ], (iii) minimising moving people with dementia within and between wards [ 29 , 58 ] and (iv) encouraging families to personalise the space [ 68 ]. Orientation is particularly important for people with dementia arriving on the ward but also throughout their stay.…”