I have read this thread with interest as I am currently training to be a nurse. Half of the training occurs on the ward. We have just had a three hour session on dementia, when the first part was spent watching a DVD: cant remember what it was called but it was a documentary of a mother and daughter, shown on TV several years ago. The documentary helped rid some of the students of the stereotypical images of people living with dementia, and promoted discussion.
I did feel that the lecture lacked practicalities....don't contradict patient, problem of wandering and sundowning, ability of some patient's to access older memories as a way of making a connection, importance of involving relatives, difficulties with feeding, personal cares....I left the lecture theatre thinking that an opportunity had been missed. I know that we have had outside speakers for other lectures....maybe AS could find a way into Nurse education, or individuals could offer to go and speak to a group of nurses about their experience.
People living with dementia have special needs, and how to provide the best care cannot be learned from a book. Please be patient with the nurses that you encounter....my experience is that the majority do care and are doing their best...but when you are looking after 8-12 patients....well what do you do first? Help the nurse get to know your loved one...talk about the things that you enjoy doing and that they have enjoyed in the past...whilst you are on the ward, try and educate the nurses...you know more about dementia than they do.
Helen
I did feel that the lecture lacked practicalities....don't contradict patient, problem of wandering and sundowning, ability of some patient's to access older memories as a way of making a connection, importance of involving relatives, difficulties with feeding, personal cares....I left the lecture theatre thinking that an opportunity had been missed. I know that we have had outside speakers for other lectures....maybe AS could find a way into Nurse education, or individuals could offer to go and speak to a group of nurses about their experience.
People living with dementia have special needs, and how to provide the best care cannot be learned from a book. Please be patient with the nurses that you encounter....my experience is that the majority do care and are doing their best...but when you are looking after 8-12 patients....well what do you do first? Help the nurse get to know your loved one...talk about the things that you enjoy doing and that they have enjoyed in the past...whilst you are on the ward, try and educate the nurses...you know more about dementia than they do.
Helen