BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:EventsCalendar PRODID:-//hacksw/handcal//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/New_York LAST-MODIFIED:20240422T053451Z TZURL:https://www.tzurl.org/zoneinfo-outlook/America/New_York X-LIC-LOCATION:America/New_York BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZNAME:EDT TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0400 DTSTART:19700308T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=3;BYDAY=2SU END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZNAME:EST TZOFFSETFROM:-0400 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 DTSTART:19701101T020000 RRULE:FREQ=YEARLY;BYMONTH=11;BYDAY=1SU END:STANDARD END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT CATEGORIES:College of Nursing and Health Sciences,Lectures and Seminars,The sis/Dissertations DESCRIPTION:Title: Enhancing Staff Knowledge and Confidence in the Manageme nt of Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD): A Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative Student: Jonadab Erhahon, MSN, RN, PMHNP Facul ty Mentor: Mark Adelung, PhD, RN, CPH Committee Member: Kristopher Jackson , PhD, MPH, AGACNP-BC, CNE, FAANP Clinical Site Mentor: Katina Herron, MSN , NP-C Date: 4/29/2026 Time: 9:00AM Zoom: Please contact dhoffman@umassd.e du for link. Abstract Background: Behavioral and psychological symptoms o f dementia (BPSD), including agitation, aggression, anxiety, and wandering , are prevalent among nursing home residents and pose significant care cha llenges. Although nonpharmacological interventions are recommended as firs t-line management, antipsychotic medications remain widely used despite as sociated risks. At Victory Nursing Home, reliance on these medications hig hlighted the need to strengthen staff competency in nonpharmacological app roaches. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project wa s to evaluate whether a structured educational intervention could improve nursing home staff knowledge and confidence in the nonpharmacological mana gement of BPSD. Methods: A single-group pretest–posttest design was use d with 34 nursing home staff (RNs, LPNs, CNAs, and activities personnel). Participants completed the Dementia Knowledge Assessment Tool (DKAT) and t he Confidence in Dementia (CODE) scale before and after an educational pro gram focused on communication strategies, environmental modifications, and person-centered care. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests, with qualitative feedback analyzed using content analysis. Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed i n both knowledge and confidence following the intervention. Mean DKAT scor es increased from 15.29 to 18.56 (p < .001), and CODE scores increased fro m 34.21 to 41.50 (p < .001). Qualitative findings indicated increased conf idence in applying strategies such as validation, redirection, and environ mental modification, while also identifying barriers including staffing co nstraints and limited time. Conclusion: A structured educational interven tion effectively improved staff knowledge and confidence in nonpharmacolog ical management of BPSD. Strengthening staff competency in person-centered dementia care may help reduce reliance on antipsychotic medications and i mprove resident outcomes. Continued organizational support is needed to su stain practice change.\nEvent page: https://www.umassd.edu/events/cms/coll ege-of-nursing-and-health-sciences-dnp--defense---jonadab-erhahon-msn-rn-p mhnp.php X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Title: Enhancing Staff Knowledg e and Confidence in the Management of Behavioral and Psychological Symptom s of Dementia (BPSD): A Quality Improvement (QI) Initiative

Studen t: Jonadab Erhahon\, MSN\, RN\, PMHNP

Faculty Mentor: Mark Adelung \, PhD\, RN\, CPH

Committee Member: Kristopher Jackson\, PhD\, MPH \, AGACNP-BC\, CNE\, FAANP

Clinical Site Mentor: Katina Herron\, M SN\, NP-C

Date: 4/29/2026

Time: 9:00AM

Zoom: Pleas e contact dhoffman@umassd.edu< /a> for link.

Abstract

Background: Behavioral and psychol ogical symptoms of dementia (BPSD)\, including agitation\, aggression\, an xiety\, and wandering\, are prevalent among nursing home residents and pos e significant care challenges. Although nonpharmacological interventions a re recommended as first-line management\, antipsychotic medications remain widely used despite associated risks. At Victory Nursing Home\, reliance on these medications highlighted the need to strengthen staff competency i n nonpharmacological approaches.

Purpose: The purpose of this qua lity improvement (QI) project was to evaluate whether a structured educati onal intervention could improve nursing home staff knowledge and confidenc e in the nonpharmacological management of BPSD.

Methods: A single -group pretest–posttest design was used with 34 nursing home staff (RNs\ , LPNs\, CNAs\, and activities personnel). Participants completed the Deme ntia Knowledge Assessment Tool (DKAT) and the Confidence in Dementia (CODE ) scale before and after an educational program focused on communication s trategies\, environmental modifications\, and person-centered care. Data w ere analyzed using descriptive statistics and paired-samples t-tests\, wit h qualitative feedback analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Statistically significant improvements were observed in both knowledge and confidence following the intervention. Mean DKAT scores increased from 15 .29 to 18.56 (p < .001)\, and CODE scores increased from 34.21 to 41.50 (p < .001). Qualitative findings indicated increased confidence in applying strategies such as validation\, redirection\, and environmental modificati on\, while also identifying barriers including staffing constraints and li mited time.

Conclusion: A structured educational intervention eff ectively improved staff knowledge and confidence in nonpharmacological man agement of BPSD. Strengthening staff competency in person-centered dementi a care may help reduce reliance on antipsychotic medications and improve r esident outcomes. Continued organizational support is needed to sustain pr actice change.

Event page: https://www.umassd.edu/events/cms/college-of-nursing-and-h ealth-sciences-dnp--defense---jonadab-erhahon-msn-rn-pmhnp.php

DTSTAMP:20260417T162741 DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20260429T090000 DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20260429T100000 LOCATION:Zoom SUMMARY;LANGUAGE=en-us:College of Nursing and Health Sciences DNP Defense - Jonadab Erhahon, MSN, RN, PMHNP UID:7027e3531bbf1cda736e40e5301bfed6@www.umassd.edu END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR