Abstract

PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of nurses' caring behaviors and to identify influencing factors on nurses' caring behaviors for elders with dementia.
METHODS
Data were collected through questionnaires from 156 nurses in several demented elderly setting and analyzed by applying descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffe-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression with SPSS/WIN 16.0.
RESULTS
The average score for importance of nurses' caring behaviors was 3.55 and the 'attentive to other's experience' factor was the highest level. The mean score of nursing professional value was 8.46 and job satisfaction, 3.86. Importance of nurses' caring behaviors had a significant positive correlation with nursing professional value, job satisfaction and nurse's age. Four significant variables influencing importance of nurses' caring behaviors were job satisfaction, nursing professional value, working area of nurses and cognition dysfunction of elderly.
CONCLUSION
With the results of this study, importance of nurses' caring behaviors can be improved by intervening the factors affecting this importance. Based on the findings of this study, further nursing practice and research for nurses' caring the elders with dementia should be focused on job satisfaction, nursing professional value, working area of nurses and cognitive dysfunction of elderly.