An Examination of Self Perceptions of Nursing Assistants and the Effectiveness of Nursing Education Intervention to Improve Nursing Assistants’ Knowledge of Mental Health Issues in an Elderly Population

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the self perceptions of nursing assistants and to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention on nursing assistants' knowledge related to mental health issues in an elderly population. 

Methods : A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to examine the nursing assistants' self perceptions. A modified version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment (CRA), developed by Given et al., 1992, was completed by a convenience sample of 73 nursing assistants from nursing homes and medical and surgical units who took care of older people. The nursing assistants answered 22 questions, in 4 general topic areas, using a 6-point Likert scale. The research was conducted in 2 hospitals and 2 nursing homes located in two Midwestern cities. The age of the 73 nursing assistants ranged from 19 to 60.The mean age of the nursing assistants was 35.02 years old (SD =10.68). The mean length of being a nursing assistant was 7.45 years (SD = 7.66). A quasi-experimental design was used in a pilot study to evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention on nursing assistants' knowledge of older people's mental health issues. Thirteen nursing assistants, part of the 73 who completed the CRA, completed a knowledge test, intervention, and a post test.

Results : The results of the self perception questionnaire indicated that the 73 nursing assistants perceived: 1) They have a positive relationship with their clients; 2) they themselves have good health status and sufficient knowledge to take of their elderly clients; and 3) they have a good teamwork among their colleagues.A comparison of pre and post test scores for the 13 nursing assistants in the pilot study indicated a significant difference in their knowledge of mental health issues in an elderly population (t = -3.64, p = 0.003). The assistants' pre-test mean score was 6.42 (SD = 1.63); their post-test score was 7.58 (SD = 1.58).

Conclusion : Although this is a preliminary study, several conclusions can be drawn based on the assistants' responses to the CRA. First, nursing assistants have a positive perception of their role in caring for the elderly. Secondly, although the nursing assistants had a positive perception of their own health status, they reported their health status have declined since becoming a caregiver. Thirdly, nursing assistants had a positive perception of the teamwork with their colleagues. In addition, intervention can positively affect a caregiver's knowledge. Future research is recommended to expand and clarify these preliminary results using a large sample size in a longitudinal study. Future research is important because of the important role caregivers play in an aging society.