Clinical Review
Disruptive Behaviors in Dementia: Promoting Nonpharmacologic Intervention Through Staff Education
Fed Pract. 2008 March;25(3):28
Author and Disclosure Information
James S. Powers, MD, Sharon M. Gordon, PsyD, and Judy Elgin, RN, MSN
Dr. Powers is the associate director for clinical programs of the Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) at the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (VATVHS) and an associate professor at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine (VUSM), both in Nashville, TN. Dr. Gordon is the chief of the psychology service at the VATVHS GRECC and a clinical psychologist for the Center for Health Services Research at VUSM. At the time of this study, Ms. Elgin was a clinical nurse specialist in geriatrics and extended care at the VATVHS. Currently, she is in private practice at Elgin Center, Crossville, TN.
Responding to frustration with these challenging behaviors expressed by staff members at a VA long-term care facility, these investigators sought to determine whether a brief educational intervention could help staff change their practice for the better.