Abstract
The study on communication strategies to tailor the needs of dementia patients is proposed for submission to the International Journal of Nursing Studies. The research will cover the problem field and purpose of the study, the research questions, and hypotheses, methods, and results. Following this structure, the effect on the nursing career is discussed.
Research Project
International Journal of Nursing Studies has been selected for submitting the research project. It is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes articles related to almost all areas of nursing. Importantly, articles from this publisher are often indexed, and they can be found in the majority of nursing databases (“Author information pack”, 2017). This evidences that the journal is highly reliable, and it is reached by wide audiences.
The publisher has different submission requirements for new and revised articles. There are no particular instructions in terms of abstract submission since authors suggest including the common items such as the purpose of the paper, problem statement, research questions and hypotheses, and so on. Nevertheless, the publisher imposes strict guidelines in terms of the format, which should be followed in all types of publications. Each article should have such major sections as abstract, introduction, methods, results, conclusions, and contribution of paper (“Author information pack,” 2017).
Research Steps
Title of Project
The title of the research paper is “Communication Strategies in Dementia Patients: A Meta-Analysis.”
Problem Statement
Nurses frequently face communication barriers when providing care to individuals with dementia. The difficulties can be linked to feelings of anxiety, disorientation, and increased stress levels experienced by patients in this condition. When patients cannot communicate understandably and clearly with nurses, it adds to their disorientation and affects the quality and continuity of care.
Purpose of the Project
The purpose of the project is to analyze the current communication strategies that have proved their efficiency for dementia patients. It is essential to compare and contrast the strategies employed in various healthcare settings and analyze the patterns or concrete approaches that have exhibited the most promising results. In addition, it is necessary to compile a list of universal guidelines that could be employed with all dementia patients in almost any healthcare setting.
Research Questions
How should nurses interact with dementia patients to avoid causing additional stress and anxiety? What communication strategies are effective the most when communicating with dementia patients?
Hypothesis
It is hypothesized that patients suffering from dementia will experience less stress in communication with the nursing personnel when they are addressed directly instead of their guardian and when simple questions/statements are used to discuss their health. In the course of the research, this hypothesis will either be confirmed or invalidated.
Methodology
Nursing databases will be searched to find recent articles on the research topic. A meta-analysis of the articles will be conducted to answer the research questions.
Steps of Research Implementation
To answer the research questions effectively, a particular emphasis will be made on the choice of texts. In particular, the inclusion criteria will be considered the first to form an appropriate search strategy. After that, the screening of the studies will be performed. After the articles have been selected, the quality of the researches will be analyzed to carry out their further analysis.
Results
The hypothesis has been confirmed. Patients with dementia feel less stressed if they can communicate with specialists themselves compared to when their guardians make all health-related decisions themselves. Apart from that, after reviewing the effective strategies, a comprehensive list of proposed communication strategies has been compiled.
Conclusion
The research has evidenced the need to educate nurses on effective communication strategies to ensure quality care and less stress in patients with dementia.
Impact on the Nursing Career
Effective communication strategies should be included in nurse education since individuals with dementia belong to the most sensitive patient groups. The existing body of knowledge evidences the growing interest in providing more quality care to such population groups. Therefore, the current research carries an important meaning to systematize the findings and provide a comprehensive overview of the most effective approaches.
Reference
Author information pack. (2017). Web.