Nurses' perceptions of care practices for adults with cognitive impairment in hospital: a cross-sectional study

Aim: To explore nurses' perceptions of care practices for adults with cognitive impairment. Design: A cross-sectional survey using an amended psychometrically tested tool. This cross-sectional study followed the STROBE guidelines. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with nurses working on select surgical and medical hospital wards in 9 hospitals across a regional health district in NSW, Australia. Participants (N = 235) completed a survey which collected relevant demographic information and explored their perceptions of care practices for adults with cognitive impairment. A five-point Likert scale was utilised in the survey, with a higher score indicating higher usage of the care practice. For data analysis, descriptive statistics explored perceptions and correlation analysis examined associations between participant demographics and perceptions. Results: Nurses react with care (median = 3.75) when adults with cognitive impairment display challenging behaviours and most often use their professional knowledge (median = 4.00) as an alternative to physical restraints. The results of this study suggest that nurses' experience and recent education focused on adults with cognitive impairment significantly influenced care practices. Conclusion: Years of experience as a nurse and recent workplace education may positively influence the nursing practice of adults with cognitive impairment. This paper supports the development of mentorship programs led by experienced nurses and the provision of workplace education to improve nursing care practice for adults with cognitive impairment in hospital.