It is estimated that by the middle of the next century, the number of patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type will increase to l4 million. Management of the patient with dementia is complex and challenging, and nurses must be capable of rapid, and rational decision making based upon accurate assessment of the patient's changing condition. Critical thinking skills are essential for nursing practice, given the diversity and demand for continuous decision making. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among knowledge, attitudes, and critical thinking skills of nurses caring for patients with dementia. Clinical nurses working on geropsychiatry, aging, and neurology units at the Clinical Center are eligible to participate in this study. Nurses participating in this study will be asked to complete the following instruments: a) The Attitude Towards Demented Patients Scale; b) The Alzheimer's Disease Knowledge Test; c) The Facts on Aging Quiz; and d) the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. The findings from this study should add to the body of nursing knowledge that deals with variables affecting clinical decision making among nurses caring for patients with dementias, which will allow for the development of supportive and educational programs for nursing staff.
