Degree Name
Nursing Practice, DNP
Publication Date
12-2-2025
First Advisor
Sandy King
Second Advisor
Beverly Clark
Abstract
Dementia-related behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) present major challenges for nurses in long-term care settings, often leading to inconsistent care, staff stress, and safety risks. Evidence-based, person-centered interventions are proven to improve outcomes but are frequently underutilized due to limited staff training. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve nursing staff competency in managing residents with dementia and behavioral disturbances through structured, evidence-based education. The problem identified was a lack of dementia-specific knowledge and confidence among nurses, which contributed to suboptimal care and increased behavioral incidents. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-intervention design guided by Knowles’ Adult Learning Theory and Lewin’s Change Theory was implemented over eight weeks in a 159-bed long-term care facility. Thirty-five participants completed dementia-care training focused on non-pharmacologic, person-centered behavioral management strategies. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired-samples t-test. Post-intervention findings showed statistically significant improvement in overall competency, knowledge, and confidence (p < .001). Behavioral incident reports decreased by 36%, demonstrating effective translation of evidence-based practice into clinical care. This project improved nursing practice by increasing staff proficiency, reducing resident behavioral events, and promoting a sustainable culture of learning and person-centered dementia care. Embedding the training into annual education and performance evaluations ensures ongoing impact.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Recommended Citation
Jackson, LaShunta, "Quality Improvement Project: Improving Nurse Competency in Caring for Patients with Dementia with Behavioral Disturbances in Long-Term Care" (2025). Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects. 273.
https://arch.astate.edu/dnp-projects/273
