Introduction
A qualitative research study was conducted on dementia patients. The participants were based on distraction techniques for dementia patients. The intervention monitors them closely for safety, risk of falling, and wandering off the unit. With available staff, it would be helpful to monitor each patient closely.
There is also a risk of the patient becoming angry and physically aggressive. The patients can move around the unit freely with the staff’s observation. They also have frequent visits from family members, which can sometimes be helpful (Naik et al., 2021). The goal is to see what will lead to the best outcome. Some patients have things that make them feel comfortable, such as music, dolls, or hobbies.
Internal vs. External Validity
The staff carefully documented the external and internal validity of the techniques. It was based on the staff’s reports and the patients’ reactions. Staff were also interviewed regularly regarding their experience with the patients. Different methods are used. The patients also would have documented outbursts of uncontrolled behavior issues, mainly anger and aggression.
Anger and aggression can risk the staff’s safety (Wharton et al., 2018). Several things may affect the overall outcome of the research (Zimmerman et al., 2022). Some patients have medical issues and diagnoses. Some patients have a family for support. It is also essential to consider the patient’s mental health history and the possibility of medication management (Silverstone-Simard et al., 2021).
Data Analysis
Medication therapy could also help distract dementia patients. The appropriate amount of research and treatment may improve the quality of life or slow the progression of dementia, which could also benefit the research. There is no cure for dementia, but treatments can slow down the progression of the disease (Cerami et al., 2022).
Incorporating medication therapy would mean getting physicians to participate in the research. It also may prolong the timeframe needed to get results. Medication use over four months has been known to stabilize patients (Sluggett et al., 2022b). By working in nursing homes with dementia, the research method will be beneficial and assist in the research outcome.
Potential Ethical and Legal Issues
Following ethical values and safeguarding human subjects is Essential in research. Although the participants may have dementia, they still deserve the same respect as any other research participant. The ethical principle should be very stringent regarding the criteria placed on research guidance. It is pertinent that whoever is conducting the research understands the subject’s beliefs and principles (De Groot et al., 2021).
If the subject cannot inform the researcher of the required information due to dementia or an altered mental state, hopefully, the subject’s family or staff members will know the subject’s ethical beliefs and values. A good literature review is necessary when researching long-term care facilities. Research will be conducted on each subject, ensuring all HIPAA guidelines are followed.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there is no cure for dementia. All dementia patients are different, as long as all the patients’ ethical beliefs and principles are followed. With patience and adequate treatment, the progression of the disease can be slowed down significantly. Some things make patients feel more comfortable. Medications may be beneficial. However, research may eventually find beneficial ways of distracting patients as time goes on.
References
Cerami, C., Perini, G., Panzavolta, A., Ramusino, M. C., & Costa, A. (2022b). A Call for Drug Therapies for the Treatment of Social Behavior Disorders in Dementia: Systematic Review of Evidence and State of the Art. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 23(19). Web.
De Groot, K., Sneep, E., Paans, W., & Francke, A. L. (2021). Patient participation in electronic nursing documentation: an interview study among community nurses. BMC Nursing, 20(1). Web.
Naik, M., Esmaeili, M., Thomas, O. R., & Geitung, J. T. (2021). Diffusion tension imaging is a good tool for assessing patients with dementia and behavioral problems and discriminating them from other dementia patients. Acta Radiologica Open, 10(12). Web.
Silverstone-Simard, I., Wu, J. Y., Nassim, M., Friedman, R., Segal, M., Monette, J., & Rej, S. (2021). Management of Agitation in Dementia and Effects on Inpatient Length of Stay. Canadian Geriatrics Journal, 24(2), 111–117. Web.
Sluggett, J. K., Caughey, G. E., Air, T., Moldovan, M., Lang, C. E., Martin, G., Carter, S. J., Jackson, S. L., Stafford, A., Wesselingh, S. L., & Inacio, M. C. (2022 ). Medicines use before and after comprehensive medicines review among residents of long-term care facilities: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1). Web.
Zimmerman, S., Resnick, B., Ouslander, J. G., Levy, C., Gaugler, J. E., Sloane, P. D., & Mor, V. (2022). Pragmatic Trials and Improving Long-Term Care: Recommendations From a National Institutes of Health Conference. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 23(3), 323–327. Web.