Impact of a short-duration experiential learning activity on DPT students’ attitudes toward patients living with a dementia

ABSTRACT

Healthcare practitioners (HCP) have expressed inadequate preparation in providing care to patients living with a dementia. Research suggests experiential learning activities (ELAs) can improve HCP knowledge and comfort toward this population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a short-duration (2-hour) dementia ELA on Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students’ knowledge and comfort toward individuals living with a dementia. Participants included a sample of first-year DPT students (n=82).  In this pre-experimental, single-site, longitudinal study, students participated in an ELA at a memory care facility. They completed a dementia knowledge and comfort survey pre-(T1) and post-ELA(T2), as well as prior to their first clinical experience (nine months post-ELA; T3). Pre- and post-survey analysis demonstrated significant improvements between T1 to T2 and T1 to T3 with overall effect sizes ranging from very large (d=1.256) to huge (d=1.520). There were no significant differences between T2 to T3 analysis. Students demonstrated positive improvements in attitudes toward individuals living with a dementia following this ELA. Improvements were maintained over time. An ELA as short as two hours may improve person-centered care for patients living with a dementia. These types of activities should be considered for inclusion in DPT curricula.

KEYWORDS:

• Dmentia
• education
• academic
• Alzheimer‘s disease
• care professionals
• dementia education
• experiential education
• experiential learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Participation in this publication was made possible for author, Kathlene Camp, by Grant Number K01HP33457 from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Health Resource and Services Administration or the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.