Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are common in residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In LTCFs, nursing staff, including nurses and care workers, play a crucial role in managing BPSD as those most in contact with the residents. However, it is ambiguous where their focus should be for effective BPSD care. Thus, this paper aims to reveal BPSD care competencies for nursing staff in LTCFs and to outline an initial frame of education. A multiphase mixed-methods approach, which was conducted through topic modeling, qualitative interviews, and a Delphi survey, was used. From the results, a preliminary educational framework for nursing staff with categories of BPSD care competence was outlined with the four categories of BPSD care competence: using knowledge for assessment and monitoring the status of residents, individualizing approaches on how to understand residents and address BPSD, building relationships for shared decision-making, and securing a safe environment for residents and staff in LTCFs. This preliminary framework illuminates specific domains that need to be developed for competent BPSD care in LTCFs that are centered on nursing staff who directly assess and monitor the changing and deteriorating state of residents in LTCFs.

Infection is a significant factor adversely affecting the health of nursing home (NH) residents, potentially even leading to death. Therefore, educating NH staff to think critically is necessary to prevent and control infection. In this study, we developed an electronic problem-based learning (e-PBL) program using the Network-Based Instructional System Design model to enhance South Korean NH staff’s critical thinking competencies; subsequently, its effectiveness was evaluated. This study utilized a quasi-experimental nonequivalent pretest–post-test design. The participants (n = 54) were randomly allocated into an experimental group (n = 28) and a control group (n = 26). The results indicate that the e-PBL program significantly improved the critical thinking disposition in the experimental group compared with in the control group.

Background: Person-centered care (PCC), an approach to healthcare that focuses on the individual needs, preferences, and values of patients, is particularly important in the context of caring for residents of nursing homes (NHs) with the behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). However, implementing PCC in NHs varies widely due to individual staff, NH environment, and country factors, leading to heterogeneity in person-centered approaches. Purpose: This study was designed to explore and gain insight into the shared subjective perspectives of nurses on providing PCC to manage BPSD in NHs in order to elicit a deeper understanding of how nurses interpret and approach the provision of PCC. Methods: Q methodology was applied to explore the subjective perspectives of nurses. Twenty-nine NH nurses with more than 3 years of experience in managing BPSD completed a Q-sorting task, categorizing 43 Q-samples into a normal distribution shape. Postsorting interviews were conducted after the participants had completed this task. The collected data were analyzed using centroid factor analysis and varimax rotation run within the PQMethod 2.35 program. Interpretation of the resulting factors was based on factor arrays, field notes, and interview data. Results: Four factors from the shared subjective perspectives of nurses related to PCC were identified, including (a) sharing information focused on details to update care strategies, (b) monitoring until the true needs of residents are identified, (c) awareness of interactive cues in relationships, and (d) connecting an individual's life pattern to their current care. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: The findings highlight that a one-size-fits-all approach may not be suitable for all nurses and interventions, indicating that nurses should consider the applicable subjective frames to ensure the effectiveness of planned interventions. A need for PCC education that specifically addresses BPSD management is suggested, with the findings implying that a strong organizational climate with respect to PCC in managing BPSD should promote higher job satisfaction and commitment and reduce turnover rates among nurses in NHs. Facilitating the development of PCC interventions appropriate for BPSD management that encompass the various categories and ranges of NH settings and nursing phenomena is thus recommended.

Educating interprofessional practitioners in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) is critical for managing discomfort of residents with dementia, which is often unnoticed and undertreated. A framework of education on discomfort management that is applicable in various environments in different facilities is necessary. We developed a preliminary framework to educate interprofessional practitioners on discomfort management of dementia residents in LTCFs. We conducted a three-step research process: a literature review using topic modeling, in-depth interviews, and Delphi surveys. We derived four categories for an interprofessional approach toward discomfort management education in LTCFs: identifying visual and nonvisual signs to communicate among professionals, close observation using comparison and contrast to share information for discomfort care, harmony in interprofessional roles, and applying common and specific professional knowledge for discomfort management. The findings provide the first outline for an educational framework for interprofessional discomfort management in LTCFs for residents with dementia. We recommend interventions across different cultures to verify the framework in future research.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify a clear definition of proactive nursing and to elucidate the essence of proactive nursing required in the current healthcare context. Methods: A concept analysis using Walker and Avant’s approach was conducted. Results: The defining attributes of proactive nursing included surveilling to surface problems, employing practices beyond the established protocols, tailoring a path toward the care goal, and arranging resources in advance. The antecedents were that nurses have their own theoretical and experiential knowledge, possess a professional identity, understand clients’ status, and have accessible resources. The consequences arising from proactive nursing were ensuring client safety, achieving the care goals efficiently, and improving nurses’ job satisfaction. Through this concept analysis, proactive nursing was defined as taking the initiative for practices during the care process that utilize creative methods and taking advantage of various resources to identify or solve implicit problems of clients. Conclusion: This concept analysis provided a clear meaning structure for proactive nursing, enabling a better understanding and communication of the concept within the nursing discipline. A clear definition of proactive nursing would lead nurses to practice in a more proactive way in the current healthcare system, resulting in improved quality of care and greater safety for clients.

The behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) present complex challenges for nursing home (NH) nurses, leading to confusion and difficulties in providing effective care. To address these issues, investigating how NH nurses perceive and manage the BPSD is crucial since it can lead to the development of tailored and effective care plans. This study therefore aimed to explore the ways in which NH nurses approach the management of the BPSD by using phenomenography. The study identified five categories of assessment and four categories of intervention in managing the BPSD, with their hierarchical structure represented as an outcome space. Each category's description provides a clear conceptualization of the complex and challenging nature of the BPSD care, offering insights into how NH nurses perceive the BPSD management. The study's findings can enhance NH nurse education and lead to effective care plans for residents with BPSD.