Monklands nurse helps to improve the care of patients with dementia

A Monklands nurse is helping to improve the care of patients with dementia, after graduating as part of a recent cohort of dementia champions.

Alison Tedford (centre) is pictured with Sandra Shafii AHP Consultant in Dementia (left) and Maureen Taggart, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Nurse Consultant (right) Senior charge nurse Alison Tedford, who works in an orthopaedic trauma ward at Monklands Hospital, completed the National Dementia Champions programme and is now helping to support improvements to the care provided in acute hospitals across Lanarkshire.

 

We are told in the article that one in four patients occupying a bed in hospital is over 65 - well, that is to be expected. What is extraordinary is the claim being made that this same group of patients have the symptoms of dementia or a diagnosis of dementia. I believe that figure is an over-estimation and deliberately alarmist.

Alison has been expertly trained by the University of the West of Scotland and Alzheimer’s Scotland.

 

This probably accounts for the fact that dementia is being over-estimated. Alzheimer`s Scotland also put forward the notion that dementia is a life limiting illness [progressing slowly, my emphasis] and one in three people who died had dementia. This does not mean that the people died of dementia and Alzheimer`s Scotland are misleading the public. But if you want to introduce palliative care to this group of patients it would help to build this kind of confusion.

Alison said:  “Dementia Champions provide specialist advice to staff on patients who have a diagnosis of Dementia or have cognitive impairment. They can provide support in relation to assessment of needs in relation to eating and drinking, the patient’s environment and indentifying whether the patient is in pain.

It`s a disgrace that it has had to come to this. Surely nursing staff should already know that all patients need to eat and drink and might require assistance, and pain relief is not just for the dying. 

http://www.nhslanarkshire.org.uk/news/news/Pages/Monklandsnursehelpstoimprovethecareofpatientswithdementia.aspx