The Experience

At the beginning of the semester, first-year nursing students were asked to complete the official GPA module. GPA stands for Gentle Persuasion Approaches and educates the user on developing therapeutic nurse-client relationships while providing strategies for safety, defense, and understanding when working with geriatric populations with dementia. The mission and vision for GPA education involve:

"Using a person-centred, compassionate and gentle persuasive approach, respond respectfully with confidence and skill to behaviours associated with dementia." (Advanced Gerontological Education, 2022)

This module took about 3 hours to complete, but the learning that occurred during completion will serve my nursing career far beyond my undergrad. Not only was dementia explained and analyzed in a theoretical manner, but we had the opportunity to explore the experience of dementia from the perspective of someone actually battling this form of cognitive decline. The metaphor used to help me understand this experience described a train ride I have boarded and cannot climb off of, and the unsettling, upsetting, and isolating experience of slowly not understanding the world around me. Not only did this teaching invoke an emotional response, but also helped me to better understand why people with dementia act the way they do with a newfound loss of control, independence, and understanding.

During my clinical experience, I have had opportunities to use the skills taught in the GPA manual. For example, when helping a resident get ready for the day, I was asked multiple times if her husband was around. Her husband had passed away years ago, but this reminder likely would have needlessly triggered an intense emotional response. Instead, I reassured this resident that I would go out and help her look for him if she got dressed and ready for the day. This not only helped us progress through her morning routine quicker but also prevented the harsh reality from arising through conversation. Thankfully, the resident did not mention her husband again once we left her room.

Another example of when GPA skills were used in practice was when a resident with a strong maternal instinct felt the need to care for a baby. A toy baby doll was given for her to cradle and care for throughout the day, which brought her purpose and distraction and allowed her to fulfill that motherly need.

Through learning GPA education modules and making small adjustments in clinical practice, I have been able to see the power of empathy and of taking the time to understand the meaning behind someone's actions. I have seen how one small decision can change someone's day for the better, and how a well-handled situation can de-escalate almost any emotional disturbance that a resident experiences. This is why these skills are vital, not only for long-term care practice but for therapeutic nursing communication in every department of every care facility.