Medication time: The experiences of registered nurses and caregivers in a care facility for people with dementia

Abstract

Introduction: Provision of care to people with dementia is a rapidly growing field in healthcare. Challenges regarding medication administration to people with dementia have been reported in studies. While the literature identifies how some of the challenges are mitigated, there remains a notable gap in understanding how these challenges influence the experiences of the registered nurses and caregivers during this important task. Objectives: The main aim of the current study was to investigate and document the experiences of registered nurses and caregivers when they administer medication to people with dementia in a care facility in Johannesburg. Methodology: Using a qualitative phenomenological research design, purposive sampling was used to recruit eleven participants in a care facility for dementia in Johannesburg. Data collection took place in three phases: observations, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups. The collected data was then analysed using thematic analysis with an inductive approach. Results: Five themes emerged from the study: a) Cognitive decline b) Behavioural challenges c) Patient tailored care d) Training needs e) Different perspectives. The caregivers tailored their strategies to ensure continuity of medication administration to PWD, depending on their cognitive status and the behaviours they exhibited. Different training needs and perspectives were expressed by the caregivers. Lastly, the results show the different perspectives on providing care to people with dementia. Implications: The results show that caregivers will benefit from training workshops on how to understand and manage behaviours, and cognitive decline exhibited by people with dementia affecting medication administration. The need for support groups is evident as the caregivers require advice on the some of the challenges they face on care provision to people with dementia. The results also show the need for the development of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that caregivers can use to safely administer medication to people with dementia.