NRC:Improving Healthcare for Cognitively Impaired Elders and Their Caregivers

NRC: Improving Healthcare for Cognitively Impaired Elders and Their Caregivers

An multi-stage mixed-method design will be employed to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data to address two study aims: (1) Evaluate and refine the delivery Reducing Disabilities in Alzheimer's Disease (RD- AD) training to advanced practice nurses and (2) Evaluate and refine the implementation of RD-AD by advanced practice nurses in their medical settings.

Two waves of APNs (25 each wave/total 50) will receive RDAD training and be queried pre and post- training using both qualitative and quantitative procedures to determine: (1) Is RDAD training successfully received by advanced practice nurses? (2) Do they report it as relevant to improving the care they deliver to persons with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD)? (3) Does RDAD training of advanced practice nurses improve their level of knowledge about ADRD, their skills in providing ADRD care, and their level of confidence in providing this care?

A subset of advanced practice nurses (5 per wave, total of 10) will be recruited to implement RDAD as part of their ongoing care of persons with ADRD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Licensed by the Washington state Department of Health as an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner (ARNP),
• Hold a board certification as a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner, Adult Nurse Practitioner, or Family Nurse Practitioner,
• Work at least half time (0.50 FTE) in a clinical setting (primary care, internal medicine, sub-specialty, medical home), with a panel consisting of over 25% of patients over 65 years of age,
• Have no expectation for termination over the course of the study; and
• Agree to participate in all phases of the RDAD translational program.

Exclusion Criteria:

• NA