Measuring and enhancing self-efficacy among professional caregivers of individuals with dementia

Nurses who provide care for individuals with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias are at risk of burnout. Self-efficacy is a psychological construct with the potential to help reduce or prevent the impact of caregiver stress. Evidence supporting a link between higher levels of self-efficacy and lower levels of stress is emerging among lay caregivers. However, concurrent research for professional caregivers lags behind, partly due to a lack of appropriate self-efficacy measures for this population. We developed an intervention to enhance self-efficacy and an inventory to measure its improvements among long-term care nurses. Training resulted in lasting improvements in knowledge and self-efficacy regarding the management of challenging team, resident, and family situations. Short-term reductions in caregiver burnout were also evident. Suggestions for maintaining improvements in caregiver burnout over longer periods are offered.