Abstract
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a growing problem in the United States. Because of the inability of the Mini-Mental State Examination to detect AD in the early stages, other avenues of assess¬ment must be explored. Two subjec¬tive assessment tests have been pro¬posed to help evaluate progression from nonclinical to clinical AD: the Feeling-of-Knowing and Judgment-of-Learning tests. Currently, no con¬clusive evidence exists as to which test is better suited to assess for pro¬gression toward AD. These tests, how¬ever, have been reliable when used to assess metamemory. A decrease in metamemory can be an indicator of nonclinical AD. This article provides practice implications for mental health nurses in administering either test and calculating scores over time. The hope is that by using these two assessment tests, patients with AD may be diag¬nosed earlier and subsequently lead longer, better quality lives.