Student experiences in learning person-centred care of patients with Alzheimer's disease as perceived by nursing students and supervising nurses.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims and objectives of this paper are to illuminate and discuss the experiences and perceptions of nursing students and supervising nurses regarding the students' learning of person- centred care of patients with Alzheimer's disease in a teaching nursing home. This information is then used to develop recommendations as to how student learning could be improved. BACKGROUND The clinical experiences of nursing students are an important part of learning person-centred care. Caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease may cause frustration, sadness, fear and empathy. Person-centred care can be learned in clinical practice. DESIGN A qualitative study. METHODS The study was performed in 2006 using field work with field notes and qualitative interviews with seven-fifth-semester nursing students and six supervising nurses. RESULTS This study determined the variation in the perceptions of nursing students and supervising nurses with regards to the students' expertise in caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease. The nursing students experienced limited learning regarding person-centred approaches in caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease. However, the supervising nurses perceived the teaching nursing home as a site representing multiple learning opportunities in this area. CONCLUSIONS Nursing students perceived limited learning outcomes because they did not observe or experience systematic person-centred approaches in caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease. It is important that measures of quality improvements in the care of patients with Alzheimer's disease are communicated and demonstrated for nursing students working in clinical practices in a teaching nursing home. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Introduction of person-centred approaches is vital regarding learning outcomes for nursing students caring for patients with Alzheimer's disease.