“There’s not one part of the programme that hasn’t been useful in my clinical practice”: undergraduate nursing students’ views and experiences of a Dementia Education Programme

Preparing nursing students to provide high-quality, person-centered dementia care is a global priority, yet most research has focused on measuring educational outcomes rather than understanding the mechanisms that underpin meaningful change. This qualitative study explored how a three-year Dementia Education Programme (DEP), embedded within an undergraduate nursing curriculum at a UK university, shaped students’ knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice. Thirteen students participated in semi-structured interviews approximately ten months after completing the DEP, and data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Four interrelated themes captured students’ reflections on learning and professional development: (1) “It gave me such a good insight.” Building knowledge and awareness; (2) “What I took most from it was that not everybody’s the same.” Transforming attitudes and person-centered values; (3) “It was experiencing what people with dementia experience.” Enthusiasm for novel teaching methods; and (4) “I feel that I’m more confident going in now.” Impact on practice. Findings highlight how emotional impact, educator authenticity, and multimodal pedagogy acted as key mechanisms for deep learning. By moving the field beyond outcome measurement toward process and mechanism, this study provides insight into how dementia education translates into practice, a dimension rarely examined in gerontological and health professions education.