Globally, dementia prevalence is rising. In the UK, over a million people are expected to be impacted by dementia by 2050. One in four hospital beds are occupied by a person with dementia, and it is inevitable that healthcare professionals will work with people with dementia during their career and across a variety of settings. To deliver effective person-centered care, healthcare professionals need to have the capacity and skills to practice with empathy. Greater empathy can lead to better patient relationships, reduced burnout, and enhanced recognition of personhood. However, people with dementia frequently report episodes of care that lack empathetic approaches. To improve the quality of care, high quality dementia education needs to be provided at undergraduate level. To inform the design and delivery of suitable educational resources, this study aimed to understand the major factors that impact the development of empathy towards people with dementia during undergraduate education.

A constructivist, longitudinal grounded theory study (Charmaz, 2014) was conducted. Data were collected in 2019 using semi-structured interviews with undergraduate nursing, physiotherapy, and medical students (n=30). A second interview was completed with students (n=26) eighteen months later. Emergent findings were informed by simultaneous data collection and analysis using constant comparison techniques, and the use of theoretical memo writing.

Preliminary findings suggested that the development of empathy towards people with dementia was impacted by social and emotional exposure during undergraduate years. Data centered on four sub-categories. While there were barriers connecting and understanding people with dementia, students experienced conflicting expectations about empathy more widely. Positive and negative cultural experiences during placement led to emotional changes and a shift in ideals.

Environments that promote empathetic practice during clinical placement could impact the development of empathy in undergraduate healthcare education more widely. This study highlights a need for educational design that focuses on both the patient and the environment.