Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Exploring How Health Care Support Workers Respond to Distressed Behaviour in People With Dementia

This study is investigating the experiences of healthcare support workers who care for people with dementia in hospital wards. Sometimes, people with dementia can become distressed or agitated, and this study aims to understand how support workers respond in these situations. By listening to their stories, we hope to gain valuable insights that can help improve future training and support for these workers. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance the care provided to people living with dementia and make their hospital stay as comfortable as possible. This research focuses specifically on support workers in the main acute hospital setting.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Enrolment target

Start

01 Apr 2025

Estimated completion

01 Dec 2025

Dementia

What is this study about?

This study is about understanding how healthcare support workers — the people who help patients with their daily needs — deal with challenging situations when caring for people with dementia. Sometimes, individuals with dementia may become confused, anxious, or distressed, which can be difficult for both the patient and the people caring for them. By talking to these support workers, researchers want to hear about their experiences, what works well, and what challenges they face.

The main aim is to gather detailed stories about these everyday interactions. This isn't a study where new treatments are tested; instead, it's about learning from real-life situations. The information collected will be very important because it can help identify areas where support workers might need more training or better ways of working. This could lead to improvements in how care is provided, making a real difference to the lives of people with dementia who are in hospital.

Ultimately, this research helps improve the quality of care for people with dementia in hospitals. By understanding the experiences of those on the front lines of care, we can tailor support and education to better equip healthcare support workers, leading to more compassionate and effective responses when patients are distressed. This could make hospital stays less stressful for people with dementia and their families.

Key takeaways

This study explores how healthcare support workers help people with dementia.
It aims to understand their experiences with distressed behaviour.
The goal is to improve training and support for healthcare staff.
Only healthcare support workers in main acute hospital wards can participate.
Participation involves sharing your experiences, likely in an interview.
Your input could help improve care for people with dementia.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking for a specific group of people to share their experiences. You might be able to take part if you are a healthcare support worker, sometimes called an HCA or ward assistant, who directly helps patients. You must be working in a hospital ward, specifically within the main acute hospital building, and caring for people who have dementia.

However, some people won't be able to join this study. If you are a registered nurse or a nursing associate, you won't be eligible. Also, if you work in roles like a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, or similar allied health professions, or if you are a support worker who helps these professionals, you can't take part. Lastly, if you are a healthcare support worker but you don't work in the main acute hospital building, you also won't be able to participate.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a healthcare support worker?
Do you work in a hospital ward?
Are you caring for people with dementia?
Do you work within the main acute hospital building?
Are you NOT a registered nurse or allied health professional?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study involves sharing your experiences through interviews or discussions. You won't be given any new treatments or medications, and there are no regular hospital visits or medical tests required. You would simply be asked to describe your day-to-day experiences and how you handle situations where people with dementia become distressed. The total time commitment isn't specified, but typically, an interview would last an hour or two. There are no follow-up appointments after you've shared your story.

Potential risks and benefits

A potential benefit of taking part is the opportunity to share your valuable experiences, which could help shape future training and improve care for people with dementia. There are very few risks expected, but talking about challenging situations might bring up some difficult memories; support would be available if needed. You are always free to stop participating at any time without giving a reason, and this will not affect your employment or care in any way.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust
Verified postcode
Truro, United Kingdom

Common questions

What kind of healthcare support worker are you looking for?

We are looking for healthcare support workers who directly help patients with dementia on hospital wards in the main acute hospital.

Will I have to take any new medicine or treatments?

No, this study doesn't involve any medications or new treatments. It's about listening to your experiences.

How long will I need to be involved in the study?

The study involves sharing your experiences, likely through an interview, which usually lasts an hour or two. There are no ongoing commitments after that.

Will my answers be kept private?

Yes, all your responses will be kept confidential and any information you provide will be anonymised so you cannot be identified.

What will happen with the information gathered?

The information will help researchers understand how to better train healthcare support workers, ultimately aiming to improve care for people with dementia.