I have an elderly relative (with dementia) who resides in a nursing home. She recently hit a nurse who was applying lotion to a sore area.

Leave it. The staff member will get it.

The staff will know next time to go slower, show the cream container, maybe even get your Aunt to apply the cream herself (if she can) with their help. Or two staff - one to distract while the cream is applied.

In her shoes, your elbow or whatever hurts. A nurses touches the sore part so you swat them away or hurt back. Makes sense, right?

Why are you involved? Do you oversee her affairs (as in POA) or are you jumping in just because you think you should?

If you have no official status, stay out of it altogether. If you’re her health care advocate, talk with the DON. But discussing it further with LO has no practical purpose.

I would hope the Nurse let it run off her back. This is not an unusual thing. The woman has Dementia, the Nurse hurt her, reaction, she hit. Let it go. I would not even mention it.

My daughter was doing a wound on a woman with Frontal Dementia. It was on the foot. Next thing she knew is the woman punched her in the head. My daughter asked her why she did it. The woman said "I don't know". They don't know. Something that goes thru their mind and disappears.

You don't mention how hard she hit. Was it a sort of swiping the arm away or a hard one?

She has dementia.
You don't talk to her about it because she is not rational enough in her mind to understand you.
She now has disinhibition, which means if you hurt her suddenly she will react automatically by hurting YOU.
Those who treat people in general understand this.

No, don't say anything. In her mind it was the "logical" reaction but it won't change the "next time".

Maybe discuss with the admins... if she starts taking swings at people for other reasons this may become a problem to address.

Well, you asked and she answered honestly. I am not sure that this incident could have been prevented. Obviously, she’s in pain.

Speak with the DON at her facility and ask them what they are planning to do to help with this situation.

Best wishes to you and your family.

I don't have dementia and I probably would have hit the nurse as well if she/he was stupid enough to put any pressure on a sore area that I had. The nurse should have known better, and I'm guessing that it won't happen again.
And I would not say anything to your loved one as I imagine they don't even remember what they did.