STAFF DEVELOPMENT: A TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP NURSING HOME ASSISTANTS IN DEALING WITH THE MENTALLY CONFUSED RESIDENT (HEALTH CARE, SENILE DEMENTIA, ALZHEIMER\u27S DISEASE)

The purpose of this dissertation was to develop, implement, and evaluate a staff development program for nursing assistants employed by a long-term care facility. Specifically, this study focused on the biological, sociological, and psychological aspects of the mentally confused elderly nursing home residents. Documentation pointed to the poor quality or lack of training the nursing assistants received during the time that they were employed by a nursing home facility. An examination of the literature indicated a paucity of knowledge associated with the care of the mentally confused geriatric residents. The method of inquiry was a descriptive case study, which was conducted in a large public skilled nursing care facility accommodating 386 residents. The pilot program was used on the day-shift staff for the purpose of refining the in-service educational materials prior to the implementation of the main study project; the participants included the afternoon and evening nursing staff. The researcher, in conjunction with his chair and a committee of experts, created and developed the training packet and the survey instrument, consisting of a questionnaire and three open-ended questions. These queries provided the participants with an opportunity to critique their training experiences and/or offer recommendations for its improvement. Through the medium of the personal interview, the researcher solicited the participants\u27 perceptions of selected aspects of the in-service program. Analysis of these data were used to refine the training materials, which were then incorporated into a manual, which was the major purpose of this dissertation. In summary, it is recommended that only skilled practitioners should care for the confused elderly. Continuing in-service education should be made available to all nursing staff in long-term care facilities. A peer support system is recommended to prevent stress and burnout among the direct-care personnel. The handbook developed from this study can be used for these purposes