The Development of an Intradisciplinary Staff Training Intervention on the Optimal Management of Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia: A Qualitative Study

Introduction:Behavioural and psychological symptoms ofdementia (BPSDs) are a group of highly prevalent symp-toms in residents with a neurocognitive disorder, in-cluding agitation and depressive symptoms. Caregivingstaff often mention knowledge and skills deficits regardingoptimal BPSD management. While several staff training onBPSDs management exist internationally, their transfer-ability to other clinical contexts is limited, owing tomethodological challenges. Therefore, to address thisimplementation gap, there is a strong need for trainingbased on high-quality research to strengthen existingevidence, and ensure feasibility and reproducibility.Methods:This qualitative study, part of a larger researchproject, occurred in 2022 on long-term care (LTC) centreunit and an alternate level of care (ALC) hospital unit lo-cated in the Province of Quebec, Canada. This study aimedto (1) evaluate the needs and perceptions of staff care-givers regarding BPSD management, (2) identify thetraining content and modalities to prioritize according toexperts, (3) develop intradisciplinary training on BPSDmanagement, and (4) pretest the preliminary version ofthe training. Objectives one and two were evaluated usingfocus groups and objective four using individual cognitiveinterviews. Qualitative interview data was audio-recordedwith participants'consent, transcribed verbatim, andthematically content analysed using an establishedmethod.Results:Overall, thirteen caregivers participatedin objective one (8 from the LTC unit, and 6 from the ALCunit). The main staff training need identified on each sitewas the management of resident's aggressive behaviours.Staff verbalized a preference for virtual training. Objective2 involved a panel of eight experts. Experts recommendedthe use of an online training platform, and certain trainingmodels and indicators. Based on caregivers'and experts'input,five interactive online staff training capsules lastingfrom 20 to 25 min each and an algorithm guiding theevaluation and management of BPSDs were created.The training capsules and the algorithm were iterativelyimproved following cognitive interviews with 4 caregiversfrom the participating sites.Conclusion:An interactivevirtual staff training on BPSD management was created basedonstaffandexpertconsultation.Thenextstepinthe investigation will be to evaluate the feasibility andacceptability of the training.(c) 2024 The Author(s).Published by S. Karger AG, Basel