Student nurses' knowledge and attitudes toward dementia care: a systematic review.

introductionDementia is a global health problem. Providing care for people living with dementia (PLWD) is challenging for healthcare providers and caregivers. Nursing students should possess a strong knowledge base and positive attitudes toward caring for PLWD. This study aimed to synthesise evidence related to the knowledge and attitudes of nursing students toward dementia care.

methodsA systematic review was conducted. PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, and PsycINFO electronic databases were searched. Peer-reviewed, full-text articles published in English from 2013 to 2026 were included. Rayyan software was used for data management, and the PRISMA guideline was followed. Narrative synthesis approach was used in data analysis.

resultsDatabase search identified 6020 sources. Following the removal of duplicates (n=1761), 4,259 records were screened by title and abstract, and 4,194 records were excluded. Full-text screening was conducted for 65 articles, and 28 articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected via databases (kappa value was 0.803). In addition, 12 articles were included via citation searching. Among the 40 included studies, 29 were cross-sectional, 10 were quasi-experimental, and one was a cohort study, with sample sizes ranging from 20 to 784 students. Overall, nursing students demonstrated low to moderate levels of dementia-related knowledge, with notable gaps in management of dementia, communication, medication-related care, and end-of-life care. Although attitudes toward PLWD were generally positive, some studies reported lower confidence in dementia care. Educational interventions, including structured clinical placements, mentorship, and targeted educational approaches, consistently improved knowledge and attitudes in the included quasi-experimental studies. Factors such as year of study, prior experience with dementia, gender, and urban residency were found to enhance nursing students' knowledge and promote more positive attitudes toward dementia.

conclusionAlthough nursing students generally demonstrate positive attitudes toward PLWD, their dementia-related knowledge is often limited. The integration of dementia-specific content, experiential learning, and reflective practice into undergraduate curricula, along with interventions such as aged care placement, various forms of educational exposures and expanded clinical experience, is essential to equip future nurses with the skills and attitudes necessary for high-quality, person-centred dementia care.