A Model Strategy for Teaching Prehospital Personnel Management of Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

Accompanying the graying of America is the increased incidence of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and the need to teach prehospital personnel how to manage these patients. The purpose of this project was to develop an instructional strategy to teach prehospital personnel about AD and some basic management techniques. This information includes: causes of acute and gradual onset confusion in the elderly; symptoms and course of AD; mental status exam; methods to facilitate communication; techniques to avoid confrontation; and means to identify personal feelings about the elderly and AD. Teaching methodology includes instructional objectives, videotape presentation of didactic/clinical material, videotape situations demonstrating patient management techniques, role playing exercises, and discussion groups. The videotape presentation portion of the teaching methodology was shown to be effective as a single instructional strategy. One hundred and thirty-four EMS personnel were given a sixteen item exam before and after the videotape presentation. Pre-test to post-test difference was significant at p=.001. The additional instruction components may further impact the knowledge of AD and positive delivery of care to the elderly.