Role of nursing associates in addressing the needs of people with dementia in hospital
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Role of nursing associates in addressing the needs of people with dementia in hospital

Michael Smith Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing, School of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England
Tony Gill Senior Lecturer in Mental Health, School of Nursing, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, England

Why you should read this article
  • To understand the main reasons for suboptimal care of inpatients with dementia

  • To be aware of the background to the development of the nursing associate role

  • To enhance your knowledge of the procedures that nursing associates can undertake in dementia care

It is estimated that people with dementia comprise about one quarter of all inpatients in acute hospital wards, although this could be an underestimate. Healthcare assistants often lack the training and skills, and nurses often lack the time, to provide optimal care for these patients. As a result, the needs of hospital inpatients with dementia are often unmet, they may have suboptimal outcomes compared with inpatients who do not have dementia, and they may experience significantly reduced well-being and quality of life. Nursing associates have a hands-on role in patient care, and their training should equip them with the skills required to overcome communication barriers and identify patients’ needs. This article explores the potential role of nursing associates in addressing the needs of inpatients with dementia.

Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2020.e1231

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

@MikeSmithUCLan

Correspondence

Msmith34@uclan.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Smith M, Gill T (2020) Role of nursing associates in addressing the needs of people with dementia in hospital. Nursing Older People. doi: 10.7748/nop.2020.e1231

Published online: 27 January 2020

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