Knowledge and Attitude of Third-Year and Fourth-Year Nursing Students toward Caring for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

Background: Alzheimer’s disease poses significant challenges to patient care, requiring skilled and compassionate nursing support. Assessing the knowledge and attitudes of senior nursing students is essential to ensure preparedness for quality dementia care. Aims: To determine the knowledge and attitude of third-year and fourth-year nursing students toward caring for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. Study Design: A quantitative descriptive-correlational design. Place and Duration of Study: Iloilo Doctors’ College, Iloilo City, Philippines, during the second semester of Academic Year 2025–2026, completed within three months. Methodology: The study included 275 third-year and fourth-year nursing students selected from a total population of 960 using stratified random sampling. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, specifically the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS) and the Dementia Attitude Scale (DAS). Ethical clearance was secured, and informed consent was obtained prior to data collection. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, and mean) and inferential statistics, including the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test for normality and Spearman’s Rho to determine the strength and direction of the relationship between knowledge and attitude. Results: Out of 275 respondents, 45.8% were third-year and 54.2% were fourth-year nursing students. The overall mean knowledge score was 18 out of 30, indicating a moderate level of knowledge, with 48% moderate, 32% low, and 20% high knowledge levels. The overall attitude mean score was 4.77 out of 7, reflecting a generally neutral attitude toward Alzheimer’s care. Statistical analysis revealed no significant relationship between overall knowledge and attitude (p = 0.864 > 0.05). However, some domains showed weak positive correlations, with correlation coefficients ranging from rs = 0.131 to 0.208 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The study concludes that strengthening Alzheimer’s Disease–focused education and clinical exposure may enhance both the knowledge and attitude of nursing students. These findings emphasize the need for curriculum improvement and focused training programs to better prepare future nurses to deliver quality and compassionate Alzheimer’s care.