Gentle Persuasive Approaches Dementia Education Improves Staff Self-Efficacy and Knowledge in a Post-Acute Care Hospital: A Quality Improvement Project.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of dementia cases within post-acute rehabilitation hospitals in Canada poses a unique challenge due to the distinctive vulnerabilities of the patient demographic in these settings. Healthcare staff in rehabilitation hospitals receive limited formal education about responsive behaviours. AIM: To address a practice gap, a program evaluation of the Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA) in Dementia Care education program was implemented at an inpatient rehabilitation hospital in a large metropolitan centre. DESIGN: A multiple method, pre-post intervention design was used to assess the impact of GPA classroom sessions on staff capacity for providing person-centred dementia care. METHOD: Eighty-eight staff members attended GPA sessions and completed quantitative and qualitative evaluation measures of dementia care self-efficacy and knowledge both pre- and post-intervention. Paired t-tests and reflexive thematic analysis were used to compare pre- and post-intervention scores and responses. RESULTS: Quantitative findings revealed that after attending GPA sessions, participants showed significant improvements in both self-efficacy and knowledge scores relative to baseline. At 6-8 weeks post-intervention, significant improvements in self-efficacy were sustained. Qualitative responses before the intervention showed that during situations involving escalating responsive behaviours, participants relied upon basic strategies to regulate their own emotions and provide person-centred approaches with variable success. In contrast, 6-8 weeks after GPA education sessions, participants identified and described responsive behaviours by relating them to the unmet need that needed to be addressed. Participants then reported successful application of tailored non-pharmacological approaches with confidence and skill at the point of care. GPA dementia education improved staff capacity to provide compassionate and effective care to individuals with dementia. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.