2025 Volume 45 Pages 962-973
Objective: To clarify the perceived difficulty and circumstances of nurses caring for older patients with dementia in general ward of a specialized hospital and to obtain basic data that will enable us to examine countermeasures to improve nurses’ ability to cope with dementia.
Methods: A questionnaire survey was administered to 272 nurses with 3 years or more experience working at general ward of a specialized hospital that had obtained Dementia Care Addition 2. Multiple regression analysis was conducted using the total score for perceived difficulty as the dependent variable and attitude toward people with dementia, years of experience, and job position as independent variables.
Results: Factors associated with higher levels of perceived difficulty were negative attitudes toward people with dementia (β = –.397), shorter years of experience (β = –.213), a higher number of patients with dementia (β = .182), negative images of older people (β = –.150), and greater knowledge of dementia (β = .129). The factor that increased the sense of difficulty the most was a negative attitude toward people with dementia.
Conclusion: To improve nurses’ ability to cope with dementia, they should be educated to perceive dementia positively based on a correct understanding of dementia, considering their years of experience.
