A qualitative evaluation of the effect of a longitudinal dementia education programme on healthcare student knowledge and attitudes

Abstract

Background and objectives There is a need to ensure that the future healthcare workforce has the necessary knowledge and skills to deliver high quality compassionate care to the increasing number of people with dementia. Our programme has been set up to address this challenge. In the programme, undergraduate healthcare students (nursing, medical and paramedic) visit a family (person with dementia and their carer) in pairs over a 2-year period. This qualitative study sought to understand the student experience of the programme. Methods Participants were undergraduate healthcare students who were undertaking our programme at two universities. We sampled for variation in the student participants in order to generate a framework for understanding the student experience of the programme. Students were invited to take part in the qualitative study, and written consent was obtained. Interviews and focus group transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results Thirty-nine (nursing, medical and paramedic) student participants took part in individual in-depth qualitative interviews and 38 took part in five focus groups. Four key themes were identified from the analysis; relational learning, insight and understanding, challenging attitudes and enhanced dementia practice. Discussion Student experience of our programme was shown to be positive. The relationship between the students and family was most impactful in supporting student learning, and the subsequent improvement in knowledge, attitudes and practice. Our model of undergraduate dementia education has applicability for other long-term conditions.

A comparative study of the effect of the Time for Dementia programme on medical students

“…Finally, there are limitations to quantitative evaluation of complex interventions and outcomes such as those considered here. We have collected qualitative data from the intervention group and the data reported support the findings in this study 25 …”

“…We took this approach, modified it and extended it by making it a compulsory part of the curriculum for all students, not just those already interested in dementia 22 . In a qualitative evaluation of the impact of the programme we identified that building this relationship between the students and family was most impactful in supporting student learning, and that there were consequent improvements in knowledge, attitudes and practice 25 . Data on the comparative effectiveness of such interventions is sparse, 22 so here we report quantitative analyses of the first cohorts of medical students who received the Time for Dementia programme compared with medical students at another university who did not.…”

Preferences of newly qualified healthcare professionals for working with people with dementia: a qualitative study

“…Experiences that increased participant's confidence or competency, their understanding of how they can make a difference to patients, and appreciation of positive interactions with people with dementia helped to increase preferences and therefore, add to possible mechanisms of influence. There was evidence that TFD may stimulate interest, in line with previous research for the positive influence of dementia educational interventions [15][16][17]. This indicates that interventions that aim to improve knowledge, attitudes and confidence may also influence preferences and therefore offer a way effectively educate and increase preferences.…”

“…Potential factors associated with preferences for working with people with dementia include positive associations with female gender, older students, and positive ageism; and characteristics of the work such as communication and emotional challenges [14]. Additionally, evaluations of undergraduate dementia education interventions provide evidence that they may positively influence preferences, however, they have not to date explored the mechanisms behind this influence [15][16][17].…”

Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing a Longitudinal Dementia Education Programme into Undergraduate Healthcare Curricula: A Qualitative Study.

“…It was introduced in 2014 at Brighton and Sussex Medical School (BSMS) and the University of Surrey for medical, paramedic, and nursing students. Positive data on the impact of the scheme on student approaches to, knowledge of, and attitudes towards dementia (29), led to the programme's expansion to other Universities (University of Brighton, Canterbury Christchurch University, and University of Greenwich) and its extension to other disciplines (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, radiography, and speech and language therapy students). Whatever the emerging evidence of the value of such approaches, implementing new educational models into undergraduate healthcare programmes requires change to an established curriculum.…”