[Prevention of Infection and the Practice of Dementia Nursing by Certified Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic].

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to clarify the practices of Certified Nurses in Dementia Nursing during the 2019 Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) from two perspectives 1) protecting elderly people with dementia from contracting the virus and 2) providing basic care for dementia to ensure the maintenance of cognitive function and comfort and safety. A self-constructed questionnaire was used to survey 386 Certified Nurses in Dementia Nursing working at hospitals in 23 prefectures where more than 30% of the population is 65 years old and over about their nursing practices and the measures they were taking during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was clarified that the certified nurses devised ways to prevent infection without undue imposition on people with dementia, and that they facilitated interactions with people and created a comfortable environment while paying attention to the prevention of infection.