Kentucky 1-Hour Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Training for Nurses

Target Audience
The primary audience includes Kentucky registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses who are subject to the state’s one-time Alzheimer’s disease and dementia continuing competency requirement.

The course is also appropriate for nurses and multidisciplinary healthcare professionals in Kentucky or other states who are interested in Kentucky-focused dementia education. This may include physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, social workers, pharmacists, therapists, case managers, care coordinators, educators, administrators, direct-care professionals, and other healthcare personnel involved in recognizing cognitive change, communicating concerns, supporting assessment and care planning, providing patient or caregiver education, coordinating services, or participating in dementia care.

Learners outside Kentucky may use the course for professional education and to better understand Kentucky’s dementia training expectations, but they should follow the licensure, scope-of-practice, and continuing education requirements applicable to their own profession and jurisdiction.

Teaching Method
Self-directed learning completed independently, with scenario-based reflection.

Overview
This course addresses Kentucky’s required dementia education topics for nurses, including warning signs and symptoms, early detection and diagnosis, communication about memory concerns, cognitive assessment tools, care planning and billing concepts, and current treatments.

The course uses a nursing-focused clinical approach while remaining relevant to multidisciplinary professionals in Kentucky and other states. Emphasis is placed on recognition, communication, assessment support, documentation, referral, treatment awareness, care coordination, and appropriate professional role boundaries.

Kentucky-specific requirements are identified clearly so learners can distinguish state-required content from broadly applicable dementia care principles.

Learner Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the learner will be able to:

• Identify warning signs and symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and describe the importance of early detection and appropriate diagnostic evaluation.
• Apply patient-centered communication strategies when discussing memory or cognitive concerns with patients and caregivers and differentiate cognitive screening from diagnostic evaluation.
• Describe commonly used cognitive assessment tools, applicable cognitive assessment and care planning billing concepts, current treatment approaches, and role-appropriate responsibilities for documentation, referral, education, and multidisciplinary care coordination.

Disclosure
The planner(s) and author(s) of this educational activity have disclosed that there are no relevant financial relationships with any commercial interests related to the content of this course. This course is developed for educational purposes and does not receive commercial support.

Disclaimer
The information provided in this course is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the content is not guaranteed to be free from errors or omissions. Participants are encouraged to consult with a qualified professional for specific advice related to their circumstances. The creators and presenters of this course disclaim any liability for decisions made based on the information provided.