Year: 2021
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Behavioral changes are very common in dementia clients due to the decline in cognitive, physical, and social abilities which worsen with the advance of dementia. Due to this decline, it leads to distress and aggression in dementia clients. Aggression in dementia clients also leads to job stress for nurses caring for these clients hence affecting the quality of care given. Therefore, the purpose of the thesis is to describe the triggers of aggression in dementia clients. The triggers will then be used to avoid and manage aggression when it occurs. The thesis findings will also be used in caring for dementia patients in nursing homes in case they present aggressive tendencies. The aim of the thesis is to find out the interventions on how to avoid and management aggression in dementia patients. \n \nOnline questionnaires were used as qualitative research method. The findings were analyzed using google forms analysis and excel spreadsheets. \n \nNurses faced physical aggression for instance punching, pushing, hitting and verbally for instance shouting, name-calling, abusive words. The triggers of aggression in dementia clients include noisy environments, poor eyesight, pain, urine infection. However, some nurses were not able to determine the cause of aggression. Nurses managed the aggression by leaving the clients alone to calm down, distracting clients with something they like, moving the client to a different room, asking for assistance from colleagues, and booking for doctor’s health checkup. Nurses, on the other hand, had anxiety, fear of attending aggressive clients, and work stress. \n \nDetermining the triggers of aggression enabled nurses to handle aggressive patients effectively and prevented aggression from happening again. Other hand, nurses need training of how to handle aggressive patients. However, further research needs to be carried out in other nursing homes and in homecare to yield more findings and solutions.
Source: Theseus (Ammattikorkeakoulujen)
Author: Joy Saina
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3169399431