Thesis Format
Integrated Article
Degree
Master of Science
Program
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Supervisor
Savundranayagam, Marie Y.
Abstract
Personal support workers (PSWs) comprise over half of the long-term care (LTC) workforce who care for people living with dementia yet are considered less skilled compared to other healthcare professionals. Improvements to dementia education from the perspectives of PSWs are under-explored. To address this gap, this study investigated PSW perspectives of their dementia-specific learning needs in LTC. Guided by Interpretive Description (Thorne, 2016) and adult learning theory (Knowles, 1990), four major learning needs were discerned through a secondary qualitative analysis: understanding dementia, addressing responsive behaviours, person-centered communication and attitudes, and delirium. Learning needs are best met in supportive environments with experiential methods that involve peer learning, feedback, and evaluation. Successful learning is mediated through an openness to learning and a good teamwork culture. The findings underscore the importance of ongoing dementia education tailored to the needs of PSWs, with implications for future training programs aimed at improving dementia care.
Summary for Lay Audience
When it comes to providing care to people living with dementia in long-term care homes, personal support workers (PSWs) provide the most out of any healthcare professional. Despite this, PSWs are considered the least skilled due to the lack of comprehensiveness in their formal education and few opportunities for continuous education throughout their career. As a result, the quality of dementia care is compromised. Improvements to dementia education from the perspectives and needs of PSWs have been under-explored. To address this knowledge gap, this study investigated PSW perspectives of their dementia-specific learning needs while working in long-term care homes. Interpretive Description (Thorne, 2016) and adult learning theory (Knowles, 1990) were used to guide a secondary qualitative analysis of 22 one-hour focus groups with 39 PSWs working in LTC settings across London, Ontario. Three major findings were discerned from the data: 1) gaps in dementia-specific competencies (i.e., the learning needs), 2) how the gaps should be addressed (i.e., learning methods), and 3) contextual factors that can influence the application of knowledge into practice (i.e., mediators). The gaps in dementia-specific competencies were attributed to limited preparation during formal PSW education and a lack of continuous training opportunities. PSWs wanted additional education concerning dementia, how to address responsive behaviours, how to use person-centered communication and attitudes, and understanding and recognize delirium among persons living with dementia. These topics are best met within a supportive peer environment with opportunities to learn from coworkers through feedback, groups discussions, observations, and experiential learning activities. For education to translate into practice, PSWs needed to be open to learning from both educational programs and their coworkers. The findings underscore the importance of ongoing dementia education tailored to the needs of PSWs, with implications for future training programs aimed at improving dementia care.
Recommended Citation
Norris, Grace I., "The Continuous Learning Needs of Personal Support Workers Who Care For People Living with Dementia in Long-Term Care" (2024). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 10251.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/10251
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.