[Dementia knowledge assessment for nurses and care workers: a psychometric description of measuring instruments as a guideline for Dutch practice].

Abstract

A condition for good quality care for people with dementia is that nurses and carers have sufficient knowledge of dementia. To test this knowledge, to measure the effects of psychosocial interventions and to develop educational programs, knowledge tests for dementia have been developed. This review examined which knowledge tests are available for nurses and care workers. These are assessed by their method of development and their psychometric qualities. Eight measuring instruments were traced: KIDE, DKAT1, DKAT2, DKAS, ADKS, UJA Alzheimer's Care Scale, KASA and KDC-SAT. The DKAS had the best psychometric qualities: the instrument discriminates expectedly between groups with more versus less knowledge, education and experience with dementia, it is sensitive to change after education, it has a solid internal consistency and good reliability. It includes domains of the biomedical model as well as domains of the biopsychosocial model. The cross-cultural validity of the DKAS needs attention. For Dutch practice, the cross-cultural validity of the DKAS should be investigated in an applied study.