Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Person-Centered Dementia Care: A Qualitative Exploration Using the VIPS Framework

Prelicensure nursing students demonstrated a higher level of knowledge of PCDC than anticipated. However, 2 key educational gaps were noted: first, nursing students require more instruction on the safe and ethical use of restraints; and second, they need greater awareness that older adults, including those with dementia, receive care across nearly all healthcare settings, not only in LTCFs. The findings of this study inform curriculum modifications and provide guidance to educators on teaching strategies that are derived from the experience of nursing students, who emphasized their desire for more role modeling or simulation on communicating with people with dementia.