Reframing nurses' time to enhance interpersonal interactions in dementia care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Science
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Building rapport with dementia patients is crucial for quality nursing care.
• Busy clinical settings and perceptions of time usage pose challenges to meaningful patient interaction.
• Inadequate interaction time negatively impacts both patients with dementia and nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a rationale for reframing nurses' time spent with dementia patients.
• To explore how 'ways of being' and 'mentalising' can enhance nurse-patient interactions.
• To promote a more authentic presence for nurses during dementia care.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis of 'ways of being' and 'mentalising'.
• Discussion of the importance of rapport-building in dementia care.
• Exploration of practical applications in clinical environments.

Main Results:

• Reframing time as an opportunity for authentic presence enhances care.
• 'Ways of being' and 'mentalising' offer a framework for deeper patient connection.
• Improved nurse-dementia patient interactions lead to better outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Nurses can optimize interactions with dementia patients by reframing their use of time.
• Integrating 'ways of being' and 'mentalising' fosters authentic presence and improves care.
• Prioritizing meaningful time benefits both the patient and the nurse in dementia care.