Jordanian nursing students' attitudes toward the elderly

Psychometric properties of the French version of the Kogan's Attitudes toward Older People scale: A cross-sectional study conducted on Cameroonian nursing students

To determine the psychometric properties of a French version of the KOP scale on Cameroonian French-speaking nursing students.

A cross-sectional study was conducted where a self-administered questionnaire in French was given to a convenience sample of 296 nursing students registered for three different nursing programs.

The French version of the KOP scale demonstrated moderate psychometric properties. The internal consistency, indicated by the Cronbach's alpha, was moderate, while the explanatory factor analysis showed two factor loadings, which explained 58.44% of the total variance.

CONCLUSION

The French version of the KOP scale can be a useful tool for studies in French-speaking African countries to assess the degree of ageism toward older adults. It is suggested that the original KOP scale be retranslated by African translators and administered to larger French-speaking populations in other countries.

An application of the reasoned action approach to clinical students' intention toward a career in geriatrics

Guided by the reasoned action approach, this study examined select individual, information, and social factors that influence intention toward pursuing a career in geriatrics among 314 clinical medical and nursing students in Ghana. A Poisson regression showed attitude toward older persons was a significant influencing factor of intention to choose a career in geriatrics for medical students (B = 0.015, SE = 0.0048, p = 0.002) but not nursing students (B = 0.009, SE = 0.0145, p = 0.512). Personal interest was, however, a significant influencing factor for both medical and nursing students (B = 0.462, SE = 0.0592, p = 0.000) and (B = 0.015, SE = 0.0048, p = 0.002), respectively. Nursing students with moderate to strong interest were 1.6 times more likely to express an intention to specialize in geriatrics, and medical students were 1.5 times more likely to express an intention to specialize in geriatrics. The results show that the most important factor influencing geriatric career intention is students' personal interest in the field. Evidence-based interventions such as early educational and practice exposure to the field and interactions with older adults are recommended.

Health Sciences Students' Attitudes Towards Older People

This study investigated Turkish health sciences students' attitudes toward older adults. Data were collected using Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KAOPS). The sample consisted of 369 students from a public university in Turkey. Participants had low-level positive attitudes toward older adults. Age, grade level, income, curriculum on old age, and willingness to work for healthcare institutions and social services for older people affected their attitudes. Participants' KAOPS scores differed by desired distance from parents after marriage, the introduction of a curriculum on old age, and their willingness to live close to parents after marriage, take elective courses about old age, volunteer in activities and projects for older adults, and work for healthcare institutions and/or social services for older adults after graduation. The curricula should address older adults to improve students' attitudes toward them. Policymakers and administrators should evaluate young generations' attitudes toward older adults and develop policies based on evidence-based data.

[Association between ageism and sexism in university students]

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Ageism is the negative perception towards others based on age. The aim of this research was to analyze the levels of ageism and its association with sexism and other factors in university students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cross-sectional study among the students of the University of Granada. The data was collected through an online survey. Information on sociodemographic and academic variables was collected together with the Negative Stereotypes Questionnaire towards Old Age (CENVE), the Ambivalent Sexism Scale (ASI), the Brief Version of the Big Five Personality Inventory (BFPTSQ), the Anxiety Scale for Aging (AE) and the Contact with the Elderly Scale (CPM). Ageism levels were determined and associations with other variables were analyzed. A logistic regression model explored ageism' associated factors.

RESULTS

Two hundred and sixty-three students participated. Most had low or very low levels of ageism (83.3%). The most ageist students showed higher hostile sexism (OR=1.07; p<.01) and higher aging anxiety (OR=1.10; p<.05) than students with high scores in ageism. Graduate students showed protector OR for ageism when compared to postgraduate students (OR=.31; p<.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher hostile sexism and aging anxiety are associated with higher ageism in students from the University of Granada. Universities must include in their study plans knowledge about this problem and develop programs aimed at avoiding discrimination in the elderly.

The Association of Technology-Based Ageism with Using Digital Technology in Physical Therapy for Older Persons

Integrating digital technologies in healthcare for older adults can enhance their independence and quality of life. Nevertheless, ageism among healthcare professionals impacts treatment decisions and may deprive older patients of technology-based treatment. This study explores whether technology-specific ageism influenced physiotherapists' use of technology-based healthcare with older patients. Seventy-eight physiotherapists in Luxembourg filled out an online survey. Participants filled out the Attitudes Towards Older Adults Using Technology (ATOAUT-11) scale, Expectations Regarding Aging, attitudes towards technology use in the work environment, and whether they had not offered technology-based treatment in the past because of a patient's age. Using logistic regression, negative ATOAUT was found to predict not offering technology-based treatment, such that participants with more negative attitudes (1 standard deviation) were two times more likely not to offer treatment. Positive attitudes towards using technology in the work environment were also found to be a significant predictor. All other characteristics (gender, age, experience and percentage of patients over 50) were not predictive of not offering treatment. This study demonstrates that technology-specific ageism may lead to discrimination and deprive older persons of optimal treatment. More research is needed to identify the magnitude of ageism in using technology-based treatment and develop interventions to overcome it.

Ageism and nursing students, past or reality?: A systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aimed to summarise and update existing knowledge about ageism among nursing students through the following research question: what is the perception and attitudes of ageism among student nurses?

DESIGN

A systematic review of longitudinal and cross-sectional studies of ageism in nursing students was carried out.

DATA SOURCES

The literature search was conducted in the scientific databases Pubmed and Scopus in February 2021.

REVIEW METHODS

After the screening process, 22 studies meeting the selection criteria were selected; 8 more were identified after manually searching the selected paper' reference lists. A total of 30 studies were included in the review. The JBI Critical Appraisal Checklists for Analytical Cross-Sectional studies and for Cohort Studies were used to appraise the articles' quality.

RESULTS

There was large variability in the manifestation of ageism among student nurses, as well as in the instruments used for assessment. Most of the articles analysed attitudes towards old age, the majority of which were positive. Being a female student, being on the final year of study and having regular contact or cohabitation with an older adult were three of the main determinants in the expression of positive attitudes towards the elderly.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that student nurses generally have positive attitudes towards old age, although ageist beliefs and discriminatory behaviours were identified and should be studied in greater depth. Training programs for future care professionals have a responsibility to educate from a non-stereotypical perspective based on current societal needs.

Evaluating knowledge and attitudes scales for the care of older adults among nursing students in Ghana

BACKGROUND

Understanding nursing students' knowledge about and attitudes toward older adults' using context-specific survey instruments can help to identify and design effective learning and teaching materials to improve the care for persons 60 years and above. However, there are no validated instruments to examine nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward the care for older adults in the African context. The study aimed to evaluate the items on the Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz and Kogan's Attitudes towards Old People Scale suitable for the African context.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted using second-and third-year nursing students from two public Nursing Training Institutions in Ghana. Using Sahin's rule of sample size estimate of at least 150 participants for unidimensional dichotomous scales, 170 nursing students were recruited to participate after an information session in their classrooms. Data were collected from December 2019-March 2020 using the Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz and Kogan's Attitudes Towards Old People Scale. Item response theory was employed to evaluate the Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz difficulty level and discrimination indices. Corrected item-to-total correlation analysis was conducted for Kogan's Attitudes towards Old People Scale. The internal consistency for both scales was examined.

RESULTS

Of the 170 participants, 169 returned completed surveys. The mean age of participants was 21 years (SD = 3.7), and (54%) were female. Of the 30-items of the Knowledge about Older Patients Quiz, seven items were very difficult for most students to choose the correct response, and one was easy, as most of the students chose the correct response. Although 22 items demonstrated appropriate difficulty level, discrimination indices were used to select the final 15- items that discriminated moderately between upper and lower 25% performing students. The Kuder-Richardson-20 reliability was. 0.30, which was low. Considering Kogan's Attitudes towards Old People scale, 10-items were removed following negative and low corrected item-to-total correlation and a high Alpha coefficient if items were deleted. The final 22-items had a Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.65, which was moderately satisfactory.

CONCLUSION

Evaluation of the scales demonstrated essential content validity and moderate internal consistency for the context of our study. Further research should focus on ongoing context-specific refinement of the survey instruments to measure nursing students' knowledge about and attitudes toward caring for older adults in the African context.

Factors associated with nursing students' attitudes toward older people: A scoping review

Nursing students rate geriatric nursing poorly in career preferences, but aging populations mean more older people require access to health care. Negative attitudes held by nursing students can lead to ageism affecting the quality of care provided. The purpose of this scoping review is to summarize research findings in the published literature relating to factors associated with nursing students' attitudes toward older people, and the tools used to measure these attitudes. The Joanna Briggs Institute guide for conducting a scoping review was used. Eleven databases and search engines were searched for international peer reviewed research articles published in English between January 2000 and February 2021. Sixteen articles were included in the review. This review highlights areas for affirmative action to improve undergraduate nursing students' attitudes toward older people to prepare them to work effectively in future health care systems. Positive attitudes were associated with: senior years of study; professional values (caring, professionalism, trust); education regarding care of older adults; knowledge about aging; contact with older family members; comfort communicating with older people; and willingness to work with older people following graduation. It also identified the need for a current, nursing-specific measure of attitudes toward older people.

Investigation of Variables Affecting Attitudes of Emerging Adults Towards Older Individuals

Similar to other countries, the ratio of the older people in the total population and the number of studies in this field is increasing day by day due to the decrease in the fertility rate and the increase in life expectancy in the Turkish culture. The aim of the present study is to examine whether a number of sociodemographic variables and different sub-dimensions of empathy predict the attitudes toward older adults. A total of 143 undergraduate students, 111 (77.6%) of whom were women, who were in emerging adulthood (M. = 19.76 SD. = 1.37, range 18-24 years) were included in the study. The data was collected using a ‘Demographic Information Form’, ‘The Interpersonal Reactivity Index’, and ‘Kogan’s Attitude Toward Older People Scale’ and hierarchical regression analysis was performed. ‘Willingness to live with the elderly in the future’ (yes; β = 0.42, p < .001, no idea; β = 0.30, p < .001) and ‘being a woman’ (β = -0.19, p = .017) were associated with a more positive attitude toward older people. Moreover, when ''willingness to live with the elderly in the future' and 'being a woman' were controlled in the first step, it was found that high 'empathic concern' positively predicted the attitudes toward older adults (β = .20, p = .038). Partially consistent with the previous studies, these findings indicate that ‘gender’, ‘want to live with an older person in the future’, and ‘empathic concern’ are significantly related to the attitudes toward older adults.

A cross-sectional study: exploring knowledge and attitude of medical and nursing students to Care for Elders in the future

Background

All societies are going through a longevity revolution. Inflating the elderly’s age group will present many challenges to the healthcare system. A better health workforce is needed to meet this demand. Little is known about the knowledge and attitude of medical and nursing students toward geriatric care in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to explore medical and nursing students’ knowledge about aging, and their attitude toward caring for older adults.

Method

A cross-sectional study using two surveys: the fact on aging quiz to assess knowledge and the UCLA geriatric attitude scale to evaluate attitudes. A total of 494 medical and nursing students from three universities in Saudi Arabia were included.

Results

Knowledge and attitude scores were 13.57/23 and 3.37/5, respectively. Findings showed that even in a country where the elderly are respected and family bonds are valued there is still much room for improvement. Moreover, there was a significant statistical difference in the knowledge and attitude scores (p < .0001) regarding the participants’ specialty. The nursing participants had higher knowledge scores, while the medical participants had better attitude scores. Overall, Spearman’s correlation coefficient between ranked knowledge and attitude scores was −.339 with a significance of p < .0001, indicating a low negative correlation between the two scores.

Conclusion

Knowledge and attitude score were fair to moderate, these findings propose enhancing learners’ education and training experiences in the care of the elderly through curricular improvements.

Curriculum, Theory, and Practice: Exploring Nurses’ and Nursing Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes towards Caring for the Older Adults in Canada

Background

Caring for older adults is among the most challenging issue of public health and social care systems in modern societies. By enhancing the nursing curriculum, nursing students will be qualified to provide gerontology care, and they will be acknowledging and working to eliminate ageism from the health care system.

Purpose

This study explores nurses’ and nursing students’ knowledge and attitudes in caring for older adults and addresses the factors contributing to nurses’ perspectives. It also examines the nursing curriculum's contributions to nurses’ knowledge and attitudes and provides suggestions aimed at reconfiguring the nursing curriculum for comprehensive gerontology nursing care.

Methods

A mixed-method research design was utilized, and quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 90 nurses and nursing students through an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed via SPSS and NVivo 12 software programs.

Results

The results revealed that most nurses possess neutral attitudes toward caring for older patients, and their knowledge ranged from average to above-average levels. Statistical analysis revealed no statistically significant difference between gender and nurses’ attitudes or between gender and knowledge. Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference between work status and nurses’ attitudes. Results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between nurses’ attitudes and knowledge level. This study demonstrated the positive impact of the Canadian nursing curriculum on nurses’ knowledge and attitudes.

Conclusion

The current study recommends providing gerontology nursing courses as a mandatory separate course in nursing education to enhance nursing students’ knowledge and skills for high-quality gerontology nursing care.

Nursing students' attitudes and associated factors towards older people in Heilongjiang Province, northern China: A cross-sectional study

Aim

Attitudes toward older persons could affect services that are provided to them and change the value of the care they receive. The attitude of nursing students toward older persons is very important as it will affect their care of older patients in future. However, in China, the attitude of higher vocational nursing students toward older persons has not been widely studied. The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes and factors toward older people among nursing students in higher vocational colleges in Heilongjiang Province.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted using cluster sampling. A total of 1106 nursing students from two higher vocational colleges in Heilongjiang Province participated. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to identify the factors influencing nursing students’ attitudes toward older people.

Conclusion

This study showed that the vocational college nursing students have a positive attitude towardolder persons. However, the proportion of respondents taking care of older persons as their first choice in their future career needs to be increased. Advanced vocational colleges should pay attention to the attitudes of nursing students toward older persons, and strengthen the education of career development planning, which has practical significance in meeting the diversified health needs of older persons and ensuring healthy aging.

Nurses’ Attitudes towards Selected Social Groups: Cross-Sectional Survey among Polish Nurses

Background: Attitude is a relatively permanent inclination towards a positive or negative evaluation of a given social or physical object, which determines a person’s disposition towards their surrounding social reality and informs his/her behavior. Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the attitudes of nursing staff, in terms of the emotional and behavioral components, in relation to selected social groups: a Roma person, a hearing-impaired person, a Muslim, and a person of a homosexual orientation. Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted by means of an Internet questionnaire. Methods: This study included 3900 nurses from Poland who were participants in social networking sites and discussion groups for nurses. The study data were collected by using a self-constructed survey questionnaire. The results were reported using the STROBE Checklist. Results: The following scale was adopted: mean 1.0–3.5—positive attitude, 3.6–6.0—negative attitude. Respondents showed positive attitudes towards patient groups (1.67–2.30), the least positive being towards Muslims (2.30) and Roma (2.21). The respondents predicted that during the performance of professional activities, they would have the biggest problem with a person of homosexual orientation (22.1%) or a Muslim person (19.0%). The results show that the age and length of service most often influence attitudes towards patients from different social groups. Conclusions: Respondents with a longer period of work experience and respondents with lower education, despite declaring positive attitudes towards the surveyed social groups, expressed negative statements towards Muslims and homosexuals. Cultural education during the undergraduate and postgraduate studies of nursing staff is essential. Impact Statement: This research indicates that the lesser the need for direct involvement in interactions with patients from other groups, the greater the willingness to accept the situation in which care is provided.

Effectiveness of a Problem-Based Geropsychiatric Nursing Clinical Internship Program

Clinical internships that effectively incorporate the care of older adults with mental health disorders are sparse in many countries, including Taiwan. This study investigated the effectiveness of a problem-based geropsychiatric clinical internship program for nursing students in Taiwan. We conducted a quasi-experimental study among 126 nursing students. Experimental and control groups received problem-based geropsychiatric and general psychiatric practice sessions, respectively. Knowledge, attitude, skills, and self-reflection were evaluated before (T1) and after (T2) measurements. There were no significant differences between the groups in knowledge, attitude, skills, and self-reflection at T1. At T2, knowledge was significantly higher in the experimental group (t = 2.39, p = 0.02). Attitude, skills, and self-reflection ability did not differ between the groups at T2. Our results showed that clinical problem-based approaches can be applied in geropsychiatric mental health nursing internship programs. The problem-based approach was helpful in improving nursing students' knowledge about psychiatric symptoms and the health problems of older adults with mental illness. However, it did not significantly enhance or change the attitudes, skills, or the ability to self-reflect among students.

Factors Affecting Attitudes towards Older People in Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: The population of older people is increasing worldwide. The social and healthcare systems need many nurses to care for the elderly. Positive attitudes increase the preference to work with older people and improve the quality of care. This study describes attitudes towards the elderly in a sample of nursing students, and analyzes the potential factors influencing these attitudes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in nursing students during the academic course 2017–2018. Kogan’s Attitude Toward Old People Scale was used to assess student attitudes towards older people. Results: The study included 377 undergraduate nursing students, of which 75.9% were women. The mean age was 22.23 (5.69) years. Attitude proved positive, with a mean Kogan’s score of 131.04 (12.66). Women had higher scores than men, with a mean difference of 7.76 (95% CI: 4.87–10.66; p < 0.001). The male sex, age ≥ 25 years, and previous experience with institutionalized older adults worsened attitudes, while studying the subject of geriatrics, each higher course within the degree, work placements in hospitals and nursing homes, and previous experience with community older adults or with older relatives favored a more positive attitude. Participants with no interest in working with older adults yielded lower scores. Conclusions: Attitudes towards the elderly among nursing students are positive. Women have a more positive attitude. Analyzing the factors that improve attitudes in nursing students is suggested, as it may contribute to improve nursing care.

The Spanish Intergenerational Study: Beliefs, Stereotypes, and Metacognition about Older People and Grandparents to Tackle Ageism

Ageism can be seen as systematic stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination of people because of their age. For a long time, society has accepted negative stereotypes as a norm. When referring to older adults, the United Nations Global Report on Ageism warns about a severe impact. The Intergenerational Study for a Healthy Aging, a questionnaire about believes, stereotypes, and knowledge about older people and grandparents, was administered to 326 Spanish biology and medical students. Here we report the results of stereotype analysis through adjective qualification of the youth and older people performed before the survey. Content analysis of two open questions about metacognition at the end of the survey is also presented. The results show that: (1) The questionnaire promoted metacognition; (2) Positive metacognition toward grandparents was higher than for the general old population; (3) Most participants were not conscious about ageism; (4) Gender was a key factor—male students were more ageist than females; (5) The feeling of guilt was higher in the questionnaire about older people; (6) The metacognition exercise elicited thoughts and, in few cases, the need to take action to tackle ageism. In conclusion, both activities promoted active thoughts about older people vs. grandparents and helped participants realize unconscious ageism—specifically toward the older population—serving as an awareness activity that may help tackle ageism.

Effect of an aged wearing suit on nursing student's knowledge and attitude

Background

The knowledge and attitude of health care providers are important and influential factors in providing care services to the elderly and need to be considered during the training course. Simulation in geriatric nursing education can be an opportunity for learners to experience the restrictions of the elderly. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of training through simulation on the attitude and knowledge of nursing students in elderly care.

Methods

This study was quasi-experimental with two experimental and control groups of pre and post-test, which was conducted on 70 nursing students of the 5th semester (two groups of 35 people). For the experimental group, the elderly simulation suit was worn for two hours, which was designed by the researcher and created sensory, physical, and motor restrictions similar to the elderly for students. Before and after the study, Kogan’s attitudes toward older people scale and Palmore’s “facts on aging quiz” were completed by students. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test and paired t-test using SPSS version 16 software.

Results

The mean scores of students’ knowledge in the experimental and control groups had no significant difference at the beginning of the study (p < 0.05). But the mean scores of knowledge in the experimental group before and after the intervention was (9.2 ± 2.6) and (15.3 ± 3.5), respectively, and in the control group before and after the intervention was (10.4 ± 2.9) and (11.3 ± 2.6), respectively, which had a statistically significant difference (p = 0.0001). The mean scores of students’ attitudes in the experimental and control groups had no significant difference at the beginning of the study (p < 0.05). The mean scores of attitude in the experimental group before and after the intervention was (114.69 ± 8.4) and (157.31 ± 10.7), respectively and in the control group before and after the intervention was (113.34 ± 13.6) and (108.5 ± 16.6), respectively, which was significantly different (p = 0.0001).

Conclusions

Based on the findings, the experience of aging restrictions through simulation has improved the knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards the elderly. Nursing education requires the growth of attitudinal skills, individuals’ beliefs, and creating empathy among them, so creating simulation opportunities can assist nursing students in the educational processes.

Roles of Knowledge and Attitude in the Willingness of Nursing Students to Care for Older Adults in Hong Kong

Due to the ageing population, nursing students will be more likely to work with older adults after graduation. It is important to assess whether Hong Kong nursing students are well prepared to care for older adults. A convenience sample of 139 nursing students was surveyed using questionnaires: Palmore’s Facts on Ageing Quiz (FAQ), Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Old People scale (KAOP), and the Willingness to Care for Older People (WCOP) scale to assess the knowledge of and attitudes toward older adult care, and willingness to care for older adults, respectively. The overall score in the FAQ was medium-low (mean = 15.1, SD = 2.8). The KAOP score was medium-high (mean = 121.6, SD = 12.0). The willingness score was slightly high (mean = 5.2, SD = 1.1). Positive attitudes and knowledge about ageing are the predictors of nursing students’ willingness to take care of older adults. The findings provide evidence to nurse educators and clinical mentors that (a) courses providing knowledge about ageing are valuable, and (b) elements that cultivate positive attitudes towards older adult care should be included in curricula. Nursing curricula that provide knowledge and experience about older adult care play a pivotal role in creating a workforce of nurses ready and willing to care for the ever growing number of ageing adults.

Assessing knowledge and ageist attitudes and behaviors toward older adults among undergraduate nursing students

Caring for older adults is viewed as a low prestigious profession and a less attractive career option for nursing students. Knowledge deficit is a major perceived barrier to reliving ageist attitudes and behaviors among nursing students. In the Middle East, there is limited evidence regarding ageism among nursing students. This study aimed to examine the association of nursing students' demographics and knowledge of aging with ageist attitudes and behaviors. A cross-sectional design was used to recruit a convenience sample of 290 undergraduate nursing students in Jordan. The majority of nursing students reported poor knowledge, held ageist attitudes, and expressed ageist behaviors. A significant difference was found between senior and junior nursing students in the level of knowledge about aging. Also, significant correlations were found among students' knowledge about aging and ageist attitudes and behaviors. Targeting knowledge deficit and ageist attitudes and behaviors among nursing students is crucial for optimal geriatric care.

Predicting undergraduate nursing students' willingness to care for older adults: A multicenter cross-sectional study in Asia

AIM

To investigate the willingness of nursing students in Hong Kong and Mainland China to care for the elderly and to identify the factors influencing their willingness.

DESIGN

A correlational and cross-sectional design.

METHODS

A four-part self-administered questionnaire was utilized to collect data from the undergraduate nursing students in Hong Kong and Mainland China.

RESULTS

The total sample consisted of 820 nursing students, with 481 students in Hong Kong and 339 students in Mainland China. The scores of willingness to care for older people of the two groups were similar (mean score 4.68 versus 4.44), and no significant difference was observed between the students in the two regions (p = .071). A very low proportion of the nursing students in Hong Kong (7.7%) and those in Mainland China (3.6%) ranked caring for older people as their first choice of work. No salient predictors of willingness to care for older people existed for the nursing students in Mainland China.

Images of Older Adults among University Students: a Comparison between Japan and Korea

This study investigated the differences between Japanese and Korean college students' images of the elderly. Japan is the most aged society worldwide, while South Korea has the highest rate of aging. Japan has a more advanced elderly welfare system than Korea. The datasets included responses from 320 Japanese students (collected in 2009) and 384 Korean students (collected in 2011). A semantic difference scale of 50 pairs of items was adopted. The chi-square test and logistic regression analyses were utilized. The five most prevalent images among Korean students were generally negative, whereas the most common images among Japanese participants were mostly neutral or positive. A greater degree of talking/good memories, activities with older adults, and experience of gerontological education showed positive relationships to favorable images, whereas living with grandparents and visiting facilities for the elderly did not yield the same results. It seems that greater interaction with grandparents and other senior citizens, as well as more extensive gerontology education, improved the images of the elderly in both countries, whereas merely visiting facilities for older adults seemed insufficient. The results also suggest that living with grandparents can lead to rather negative images of older adults.

Effects of Senior Simulation Suit Programme on nursing students' attitudes towards older adults: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

As populations age worldwide, nursing educational institutions need to train nurses not only to provide health care services specific to the elderly, but also to have a positive attitude as they work. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a Senior Simulation Suit Programme (SSSP). The SSSP, which focused on mimicking the physiological experiences of an 80 year-old person, was hypothesized to increase the wearer's positive attitude towards older adult care.

METHODS

A single-blinded, randomized controlled trial was used to evaluate the efficacies of SSSP. One hundred and thirty-nine (139) nursing students were randomly assigned to either SSSP group (n = 69) or to a control group (n = 70) with "placebo clothing", i.e. clothing that mimicked old age but did not actually impair faculties. Two instruments-Kogan Attitudes Towards Old People Scale (KAOP) and a 1-item scale on Willingness To Care for Older People Scale (WCOP)-were used for data collection at baseline and at completion of SSSP. A Chinese version of Palmore's Facts Aging Quiz (C-FAQ) was used to assess nursing students' knowledge about adult care, and a questionnaire was developed to collect demographic information at baseline.

RESULTS

No significant difference between the two groups was found. A significant increase of positive attitudes and of willingness to serve older adults was found in both the control group and the group wearing SSSP.

CONCLUSION

Both the SSSP and control intervention could improve the attitudes of nursing students towards older adult care. This study suggests that wearing whatever the nursing students associate with being old, will improve their attitude towards older adult care.

Preferences of nursing and medical students for working with older adults and people with dementia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

A current issue in workforce planning is ensuring healthcare professionals are both competent and willing to work with older adults with complex needs. This includes dementia care, which is widely recognised as a priority. Yet research suggests that working with older people is unattractive to undergraduate healthcare students.

METHODS

The aim of this systematic review and narrative synthesis is to explore the factors related to healthcare (medical and nursing) student preferences' for working with older people and people with dementia. Searches were conducted in five databases: MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINHAL, BNI, ERIC. Screening, data extraction and quality appraisal were conducted by two independent reviewers. A narrative, data-based convergent synthesis was conducted.

RESULTS

One thousand twenty-four papers were screened (139 full texts) and 62 papers were included for a narrative synthesis. Factors were grouped into seven categories; student characteristics, experiences of students, course characteristics, career characteristics, patient characteristics, work characteristics and the theory of planned behaviour.

CONCLUSION

Health educators should review their role in cultivating student interest in working with older adults, with consideration of student preparation and the perceived value of this work. There is a lack of evidence about the career preferences of students in relation to dementia, and this warrants further research.

Finnish nurse students' attitudes towards older adults and the teaching of gerontological nursing - A survey study

BACKGROUND

Finland has one of the oldest populations in Europe. Gerontological nursing is unfortunately not appealing to nurse students.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to examine nurse students' attitudes towards older adults and their suggestions about gerontological nursing course.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional, descriptive study.

SETTINGS

One university of applied sciences in Finland.

PARTICIPANTS

A total sample of nurse students (n = 523).

METHODS

Data were collected in 2015 using KAOP scale that included background questions and one open question. The data were analyzed statistically and thematized. The themes were then quantified as frequencies.

RESULTS

The response rate was 47.5%. The mean age was 26.9 years. The results showed that students' attitudes were positive towards older adults. Factor analysis produced a four factor (characteristic value >1.0) model (explanation rate 44%, x2 118,770, df = 74 and p = .001). A four-factor model was however not justifiable, as only one variable loaded onto the fourth factor. The range of the communalities of the variables chosen for the factor analysis was between 0.37 and 0.99. There were seven such variables and their reliability was high (α = 0.71). The positive attitude was described by reciprocal understanding, social skills of older adults and older adults' ability to maintain their home and themselves. Of the suggestions for improving the teaching of gerontological nursing, 60% were related to the contents of teaching, 37% to didactic solutions and 3% to the capabilities of the teacher.

CONCLUSIONS

Students consider older adults as individuals with their own personalities and many resources, a view that should not be lost after graduation. The study showed a demand for moving teaching away from classrooms to the real environments of older people's care. Using various methods such as lectures by experts by experience can make the topic more appealing.

Attitudes towards ageing of Speech-language Pathology students in a Chilean University

PURPOSE

Describe the attitudes towards ageing of senior undergraduate Speech-language Pathology students in a Chilean University.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional study in which the validated Spanish version of the Kogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (KAOP) was applied to 43 students in the aforementioned course. The average scores were compared for the variables gender and interaction with the elderly.

RESULTS

A trend towards a positive attitude was observed. No differences were found for the variables described. An analysis was carried out with the items in which trends towards negative attitude were reported, and the implications were discussed.

CONCLUSION

Although a positive attitude was reported, aspects of student academic training should be more comprehensively studied with a view to improving the quality of assistance provided to the elderly.

Gender analysis of nurses' attitude towards care of the elderly with dementia in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria

This study assessed nurses' knowledge and attitudes by gender toward the care of elderly patients with dementia and explored gender differences in attitudes and associated factors in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife. The study adopted a sequential explanatory mixed method design to obtain data from 100 nurses selected through a multistage sampling technique. Data analysis was done at univariate, bivariate, and multivariate levels with a significance at P < .05. Findings revealed that a majority of the nurses have good knowledge and attitudes toward the care of elderly patients with dementia. Previous experience in a specialized unit (Odd = 2.879, CI = 0.013-8.287, P = .047) was the main predictor for the nurses' attitude.

"Where would I prefer to work after graduation?" Career preferences of students attending Italian nursing schools

BACKGROUND

Worldwide, nursing students have reported a preference for working in intensive care, paediatrics, and operating theatres after graduation, disregarding psychiatry and geriatrics. Many factors can influence student choices. Educators need to know students' preferences and influencing factors in order to plan appropriate interventions to orient future nurses towards the clinical areas that are most in need of trained and motivated nurses.

OBJECTIVES

To identify career preferences and student-related factors that influence the career intentions of students attending Italian nursing schools.

DESIGN

A cross sectional design.

SETTING

The study was conducted in 14 Italian nursing schools.

PARTICIPANTS

Students enrolled on a three-year undergraduate nursing program were invited to participate.

METHODS

A questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic data and clinical area preferences. A multivariate binary logistic regression was performed to identify the student characteristics influencing career choices.

RESULTS

1534 students were enrolled in the study. Students preferred working in paediatrics, emergency departments and operating theatres, and these preferences were consistent in all of the three years. Psychiatry and geriatrics were the clinical areas least preferred in all the three years. Age, gender, nationality, and university attended were the factors that predicted students' preferences for specific clinical areas.

CONCLUSIONS

In line with international literature, students attending Italian nursing schools expressed preferences for working in some clinical areas and to disregard others. Nursing curricula and internships need to be reviewed in terms of declared and hidden curriculum in order to enable students to view all areas of practice as equally valuable.

Relationship Between Gerontological Nursing Education and Attitude Toward Older People

BACKGROUND

Nursing students' attitudes toward older people affect the quality of care provided to the aging population. Although gerontological nursing has been delivered as a stand-alone course in Macao since 2008, Macao nursing students' attitudes toward older people have not been investigated.

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this study were 1) to explore nursing students' background information and attitudes toward older people and 2) to examine the presence of relationships between these factors and gerontological nursing education in Macao, a special administrative region of China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Nursing students in Macao were invited to complete a questionnaire to record their demographic characteristics and gerontological nursing education and measure their attitudes toward older people using Kogan's Attitudes Toward Older People (KAOP) scale.

RESULTS

Data from 377 (83.04%) nursing students who returned the questionnaire were analyzed. The students were found to have positive attitudes toward older people, with a mean KAOP score of 168.44 ± 18.38 (mean ± standard deviation). In particular, the item with the lowest mean score was "older adults have excessive demands for love" (2.5 ± 1.2), while the item with the highest mean score was "older adults need no more love than others" (6.0 ± 1.0). The results also revealed that Macao nursing students' positive attitudes toward older people were associated with having "religion," "good experience in gerontological nursing taught course," and "good experience in clinical practice with older people," which were thus considered to be the predictors of their positive attitudes toward older people.

CONCLUSION

Religion and gerontological nursing education are associated with Macao nursing students' attitudes toward older people. A longitudinal study is needed to evaluate the gradual changes in nursing students' attitudes. Nursing students' future career choices and perceptions of gerontological nursing education should be explored in a future study.

Preparing nurses and nursing students to care for older adults in lower and middle-income countries: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

The aim of this review was to examine the extent and nature of published literature on nurses' and nursing students' preparedness to care for older adults in lower and middle-income countries.

METHOD

A scoping review with 27 articles, guided by the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework was conducted. The following electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC and SCOPUS. Grey literature using Google Scholar and ProQuest were also searched. Key search terms and subject headings such as "nursing students", "nurses", "stakeholders", "ministry of health", "readiness", "knowledge", "attitudes", "elder care", "seniors care" and "older adults" were used to identify relevant articles. Studies that reported on gerontological nursing, nursing students' and nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards older adults, and stakeholders/employers' views about nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards older adults were included.

RESULTS

Nurses reported having moderate to insufficient knowledge in the care of older adults in the majority of the studies. Nursing students reported insufficient knowledge in the care of older adults. However, both nurses and nursing students reported positive attitudes towards the care of older adults but held misconceptions about caring for older adults. Nursing students also reported a low preference for working with older adults.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS

The inadequate preparation of nurses and nursing students in the care of older adults means there are opportunities to enhance knowledge about health and nursing care in lower and middle-income countries and build on the positive attitudes towards older adults.

Actitudes de estudiantes españoles de terapia ocupacional hacia las personas mayores

Introducción. La población mundial está creciendo y envejeciendo. Debido al cambio demográfico en la población, gran parte de los profesionales de ciencias de la salud trabajarán con personas mayores, aunque la mayoría de los estudiantes de estas áreas tienen poco conocimiento e interés para ocuparse de esta población.Objetivo. Analizar las actitudes hacia las personas mayores en los estudiantes del programa de Terapia Ocupacional de la Universidad de Granada en España.Materiales y métodos. Estudio descriptivo. Se utilizó la escala de actitudes hacia el adulto mayor de Kogan (KAOP), validada al español, en 109 estudiantes de Terapia Ocupacional de la Universidad de Granada.Resultados. Los estudiantes participantes manifestaron tener, de media, una actitud neutral hacia el adulto mayor (valor KAOP 143.60±11.70). No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas por género ni por año académico (p=0.804) en los datos observados.Conclusiones. La actitud observada hacia el adulto mayor entre los estudiantes de Terapia Ocupacional de la Universidad de Granada es neutral, sin diferencias por género ni por año académico. Son necesarios estudios futuros sobre la temática para esclarecer las posibles causas de esta actitud.

The relationship between nursing students' professional values and their attitudes towards the elderly people: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Professional values involve standards that are effective in solving problems, interacting with patients, making decisions on patient care and forming the student's attitude. Throughout the course of the nursing students' occupational education, these standards shape their attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding the provision of care for individuals.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between nursing students' professional values and their attitudes towards the elderly.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional research design was used in this study.

SETTINGS

This study was conducted at a university in the northeast of Turkey.

PARTICIPANTS

2nd-year (n = 93), 3rd-year (n = 101) and 4th-year (n = 81) nursing students.

METHOD

The data for the study were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Nursing Professional Values Scale- Revised (NPVS-R) and the Ageism Attitude Scale (AAS). In the data analysis, independent samples t-test, ANOVA and Spearman Correlation were used.

RESULTS

The study found that the nursing students' average total NVPS-R score was 86.4 ± 16.2 and their average total AAS score was 82.7 ± 8.8. Furthermore, a significant correlation was observed between the professional values of the students and their attitudes towards the elderly (r = 0.407, p = 0.000). A positive, moderately strong correlation was determined between the total NPVS-R scores and the 'restricted life of elderly people' and 'positive attitudes towards elderly people' sub-scales of AAS (r = 0.418, r = 0.317, p < 0.005, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The present study has demonstrated that the nursing students' professional values are associated with their attitudes towards the elderly. In the light of these results, it is suggested that professional values be taught and that courses on values be added to the curriculum in order to improve the attitudes of the students towards ageism.

The Arabic version of the Kogan Attitudes toward Older People Scale among Saudi nursing students: a psychometric analysis

BACKGROUND

With the steadily increasing size of its elderly popu.lation, Saudi Arabia is currently trying to meet the demands for com.petent care for older people. However, the lack of a valid and reliable measurement instrument in the Arab Peninsula hinders related studies among nursing students in this part of the globe. Given the importance of nursing students' attitudes toward working with older people, a specialized tool that can provide an accurate assessment of students' attitudes toward older adults is necessary.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the psychometric properties of the Kogan Attitudes towards Older People Arabic version (KAOP-A) among Saudi nursing students.

DESIGN

Descriptive, cross-sectional.

SETTING

Nursing department of a government university.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

Using total population sampling, Saudi nursing students were surveyed using the KAOP-A. The tool was culturally adapted to the Arabic language using a forward and backward method. Content and construct validity were established accordingly. The internal consistency was established to support the reliability of the tool.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The validity and reliability of the KAOP-A.

SAMPLE SIZE

164 nursing students.

RESULTS

The KAOP-A had acceptable content and construct valid.ity. The Exploratory Factor Analysis supported a two-factor solution for the KAOP-A with an explained variance of 60.12%. The computed Cronbach's alpha for the entire scale was 0.89. The mean score of the KAOP-A scale was 121.55 (SD=26.92, range=40-204), indicating a slightly positive attitude toward aging among the students. Nursing students belonging to extended type of family and living in rural community, as well as older students and students who reported higher degree of closeness with their grandparents, exhibited more positive attitudes towards older people.

CONCLUSION

The tool can be used to accurately assess student attitudes towards older people, which can inform the creation of educational policies and interventions geared towards creating a more positive outlook on older adult care among nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

LIMITATIONS

We did not perform test and re-test reliability analysis.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

None.

Development of the Perspectives on Caring for Older Patients scale: Psychometric analyses

AIM

The purpose of these studies was to determine the reliability and validity of the 24 item Perspectives on Caring for Older Patients (PCOP) scale and further develop the scale as a useful tool for measuring nurses' perspectives toward caring for older patients.

BACKGROUND

Ageism has long been an issue in the U.S. as well as globally and is reflected in the attitudes of nurses caring for older patients. Most research in this area utilizes scales that measure attitudes toward older adults or aging in general which is different from how nurses feel about caring for older patients.

METHODS

Instrument development studies using the PCOP scale were conducted involving two independent samples for exploratory and confirmatory analyses. Study 1 included nurses and nursing students from six hospitals in the U.S. while Study 2 included students in a baccalaureate nursing program. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted in Study 1, and confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modeling was performed in Study 2. A test of structural invariance was used to confirm stability of factor structure across samples.

RESULTS

Exploratory factor analysis using split samples (Study 1) resulted in a PCOP scale with 12 items, and structural equation modeling confirmed a 9-item factor structure. The test for invariance also showed an excellent fit to the data.

CONCLUSIONS

The revised nine-item PCOP scale is a reliable and valid tool for use in measuring nurses' perspectives toward caring for older patients in the U.S. and internationally.

Identification of nursing students' attitudes toward older people

OBJECTIVES

The present study aims to identify nursing students' attitudes toward older people.

METHODS

This descriptive study was conducted with 166 nursing department students enrolled in a four-year undergraduate programme in a university located in Eastern Turkey. The participants were chosen using convenience sampling method, and data were collected through the Descriptive Characteristics Form and Turkish version of Kogan's Attitudes toward Older People Scale (KAOPS).

RESULTS

It was found that the students participating in the study had positive attitudes toward older people, and the mean scores of those who wanted to work with older people after graduation were significantly high (p < 0.05). Scale mean scores according to receiving gerontology nursing course showed that there were no significant differences between the groups who received gerontology nursing course and who did not.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that nursing students' attitudes toward older people were positive. Cultural features of the region where the study was conducted are considered to have effects on this result. Impact statement: As nursing students will provide care to older people in the future, it is important to know and assess their attitudes towards the older.

Assessing attitudes toward elderly among nurses working in the city of Ilam

Objective

Several factors affect the quality of care in the elderly, such as nurses' attitudes. This study aimed to assess nurses' attitude toward elderly in the city of Ilam.

Method

This cross-sectional study was conducted among 230 nurses working at public hospitals in the city of Ilam. Participants were selected using simple random sampling from the list of staff. The Kogan's attitude questionnaire was used to measure nurses' attitudes toward the elderly.

Results

The mean age of respondents in this study was 32.65 (SD = 7.67), and the score of attitudes toward the elderly was 144.96 (SD = 51.75) in average. More than half (54.3%) of the nurses had negative attitudes toward the elderly. The results of ANOVA analysis showed significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed in the attitudes toward the elderly among the nurses as their ages, marital status, work experiences, and ward types differed.

Conclusion

In conclusion, nurses in this study have marginally negative attitudes toward the elderly. Therefore, promoting nurses' attitudes toward the elderly is important to provide high-quality care.

Survey of attitude towards and understanding of the elderly amongst Chinese undergraduate medical students

Background: Gerontology has an increasing role in medicine and public health. The provision of better medical services to the elderly closely correlates with the attitude towards and understanding of the elderly by medical personnel.

Objectives: We investigated factors affecting a medical student’s choice of gerontology as a career. This included a survey of attitude towards the elderly and understanding of aging among first and third year Chinese undergraduates. Data between students in different streams, at different levels, and between sexes were compared.

Methods: Convenience sampling was used to recruit 335 undergraduate medical students in Sichuan for a survey using Kogan’s Attitudes toward Older People Scale (KAOP) and Palmore’s Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ1) as tools.

Results: Among undergraduates, 71.3% did not acquire significant knowledge about the elderly (mean KAOP score 139.5 ± 16.0); and had a mean score of knowledge of aging (12.2 ± 2.7). The majority of first year students (98.7%) and third year students (98.8%) had a positive attitudes (KAOP > 102). The KAOP score among first year students was higher than that among third years (P < 0.01). Students with an interest in problems of the elderly had significantly higher scores and were more willing to consider careers in gerontology than students without an interest in the elderly (P < 0.01).

Conclusions: The majority of Chinese undergraduate medical students surveyed had positive attitudes towards elderly. We recommend greater accessibility of courses in gerontology to meet the increasing need for personnel in this health care sector.

Evaluation of the Master's curriculum for elderly nursing: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Improving the quality of health care and rehabilitation for the elderly is one of the most important priorities of the health care system. Given the importance of evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of any program after its implementation, this study was conducted to identify the advantages and weaknesses of a geriatric nursing program at Tehran University of Medical Sciences.

METHODS

This was a qualitative study, and the study population comprised students, graduates, and professors of geriatric nursing at the Master of Science level. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews and focus groups. Sixteen interviews were conducted. The interview guide was used as a research tool. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

Three main themes including "motivation to enter geriatric nursing", "lack of employment groundwork", and "lack of practical implementation of the curriculum" were the main findings of the study.

CONCLUSION

Efforts to restructure the administrative system and employment can deter geriatric nursing students from simply earning a degree and actually encourage them to learn the required content. Appraisal and improvement of education facilities for student recruitment can guarantee the practical implementation of the curriculum. Drafting policies to attract graduates in clinical environments, opening up employment opportunities, providing organizational positions for the recruitment of this group, as well as dedicating some wards for elderly special care and providing nursing care to elderly people only can increase students' motivation to learn and their hopes of good job prospects.

Attitudes of students of health sciences towards the older persons

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare attitudes towards the elderly of Turkish students of various disciplines in health sciences at the level of associate and bachelor degree.

METHODS

685 students participated in this descriptive study. Data were collected with a questionnaire administered to the students and the Turkish version of Kogan's Attitudes Towards Old People Scale (KAOP). Statistical evaluation of the data was included in percentage, mean, median, t-test, and one-way variance analysis.

RESULTS

The average age of the students was 20.91±2.25years, and mean and median scores of KAOP for these students were 131.21±14.403 and 130, respectively. The attitudes of physiotherapy students towards older people were better than students in other health disciplines (p<0.05), and there were no differences in the attitudes of health science students towards the older persons in eastern and western cities of Turkey (p<0.05).

DISCUSSION

The attitudes of the health science professionals of tomorrow towards older people should be evaluated currently to be able to improve the provision of health care standards and to prevent possible negative beliefs and opinions in the future.

Attitudes toward and willingness to work with older people among undergraduate nursing students in a public university in Sri Lanka: A cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

With the increased number of older people globally, caring for older people has become a challenge for many countries. Nurses have a pivotal role in providing quality care for older people and care is affected by their attitudes. The preparation of nurses to deliver quality care needs to be instilled during their studying in the Schools of Nursing.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the attitudes of nursing students toward and their willingness to work with older people in Sri Lanka.

METHODOLOGY

A purposive sample of 98 first to fourth year undergraduate nursing students in the Department of Nursing, University of Peradeniya completed a self-administered questionnaire consisting of socio-demographic variables, Kogan's Attitudes toward Older People Scale, and questions related to willingness to work with older people.

RESULTS

Fifty percent of the respondents (n=49) held slightly positive attitudes toward older people while 45% (n=44) held slightly negative attitudes. About one-third of the respondents (29.9%, n=29) selected the elderly group as the least preferred group for their future career from the categorized seven age groups. Only 5.1% (n=5) of the respondents ranked the elderly group as the first preferred group. There was a significant difference in attitudes between students who lived with older people and students who did not live with older people (t=2.565, p=.012). There was a positive relationship between attitudes and preference for working with older people (r=.342, p=.001).

CONCLUSION

Nursing students have moderately positive attitudes toward older people; however, they show little interest in working with older people. Living with older people develops positive attitudes of young people toward older people. Attitudes are related to the selection in area of specialty in nursing. Nursing curricula need to include Gerontological Nursing as a major area.

Nursing diagnoses and interventions in the care of elderly patients undergoing surgery

AIM

The aim of this study was to determine nursing diagnoses and interventions in the care plans of elderly patients undergoing surgery.

METHODS

This descriptive and retrospective study was conducted with the files of 129 elderly patients undergoing surgery in a university hospital in Turkey. Data were collected using a questionnaire and nursing care plans. Frequency and percentage calculations were used to evaluate the data.

RESULTS

The mean age of hospitalized patients was 72.8 ± 5.8 years; 28.7% of patients were hospitalized at a general surgery clinic and 51.9% were male. Nurses had been using 14 nursing diagnoses and 171 different nursing interventions while planning their care of elderly patients undergoing surgery. The most frequently used nursing diagnoses were falling risk, infection and hypertension.

CONCLUSION

Nurses use limited diagnoses and standard interventions to plan the care of elderly surgical patients.

Service Learning With a Geriatric Population: Changing Attitudes and Improving Knowledge

Relatively few nursing students choose to specialize in geriatric nursing. While increased clinical exposure and improved knowledge of the elderly have been proposed to manage this staffing dilemma, successful strategies have not been identified. This study examined nursing students' attitudes and knowledge about the elderly, before and after service learning experiences in Senior Citizen Centers. Through these interventions, students had significantly improved attitudes and knowledge about the elderly.

Gerontology course in the nursing undergraduate curricula

OBJECTIVE

To explores nursing faculty members' attitudes towards older people, their thoughts about gerontological nursing education.

METHOD

Five focus groups and a survey were used with nursing faculty members 132 at the three nursing schools to explore their attitudes towards the care of older people and the perceived status of gerontological nursing education. The survey was given to 132 faculty members, including 76 clinical instructors, 40 associate professors and 16 professors. The nursing faculty in general had a positive attitude toward older people (M=3.36, SD 0.25), and teachers' attitudes were higher than those of their nursing students (M=3.18, SD0.29).

RESULTS

This study results suggests that Saudi nursing curricula should include more extensive gerontology content and clinical experience with older people.

CONCLUSION

This is the first time in Saudi Arabia that research has listened to their voices and examined their commitments toward gerontology education.

Internal consistency and construct validity assessment of a revised Facts on Aging Quiz for Flemish nursing students: an exploratory study

BACKGROUND

Since more people are reaching older and older ages, healthcare systems are becoming in need of more and more knowledgeable nurses to meet the specific health care needs of older persons. Several instruments exist to measure and evaluate students' knowledge of older persons, ageing, and gerontological care; however, unequivocal evidence on their use and psychometric properties is scarce. The aim of the study was to validate a revised version of Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz (FAQ).

METHODS

A cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted. Palmore's FAQ version 1 and Facts on Aging Mental Health Quiz were used as bases for the development of a revised FAQ instrument. Three researchers translated these instruments into Dutch. A panel of nine experts in geriatric research and gerontological care evaluated the translation and the face and content validity of the instrument. We used a cross-sectional, exploratory design to assess its internal consistency and construct validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficients, exploratory factor analysis, and the known-groups technique were used for these analyses.

RESULTS

Based on the experts' consensus, a revised version of the FAQ, consisting of 36 items, was produced. Exploratory factor analysis did not reveal underlying constructs suggesting that the revised version encloses a more general concept of knowledge (e.g. about older persons, aging, gerontological care). Using the known-groups technique, we validated the instrument, showing that it discriminates between the knowledge of first- and third-year nursing students. The overall Cronbach's coefficient of 0.723 was acceptable and changed minimally (from 0.708 to 0.724) when items were removed.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that the revised version of the FAQ can be used to properly evaluate nursing students' knowledge about older persons and gerontological care, as reasonable reliability and validity were established for this revised version of the FAQ.

Nurses' attitudes towards older people and working with older patients: an explanatory model

AIM

To establish an explanatory model of registered nurses' attitudes towards older people and working with older patients.

BACKGROUND

Increasing demands for health-care from an ageing population will require a higher proportion of nurses who have positive attitudes towards older people and like working with older patients.

METHOD

A convenience sample of registered nurses (n = 579; 79.3% response rate) attending continuing professional education courses within a large university in London was surveyed from October to December 2011.

RESULTS

Registered nurses expressed positive attitudes towards older people and 89.7% reported positive attitudes towards working with older patients. The variables of self-ageing anxiety, attitudes towards health-care resource allocation, knowledge of ageing, ethnic group, job title, attitudes towards older patients and interaction between ethnic group and attitudes towards working with older patients explained 42.6% of the variance in attitudes towards older people. Factors, including attitudes towards older people, self-ageing anxiety, commitment to nursing, attitudes towards health-care resources allocation among older people and clinical specialty explained 16.7-34.3% of the variance in attitudes towards older patients.

CONCLUSION

The models identified several related factors that may help in the selection and management of nurses for caring older people.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Our findings highlight the importance of investing in continuing education related to gerontological nursing and the ageing process so that there is a growing pool of registered nurses who wish to care for older patients.

Cultural- and educational-level differences in students knowledge, attitudes, and preferences for working with older adults: an israeli perspective

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nursing education on students' knowledge, attitudes, and preferences to work with older adults in an ethnically diverse Israeli society.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional design, Kogan's Old People Scale was used to measure attitudes toward older adults and Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz-1 to assess the level of knowledge of nursing students in four cohorts.

RESULTS

Of the 224 nursing students who responded to the survey, 55% were Jewish and 45% were Arabs. Ethnicity and knowledge were the strongest correlates (p < .0001) of attitudes, and attitudes and ethnicity (p < .0001) correlated with work preferences.

CONCLUSIONS

While knowledge of old age among students increased, preferences for future career in geriatrics declined with education. Ethnicity was a strong predictor of attitudes and future intentions to work with older adults. Culturally tailored educational programs focused on changing the attitudes toward aging are critically needed.

Gender differences in the academic and clinical performances of undergraduate nursing students: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES

Nursing is often regarded as a female-dominated profession. Many nursing curricula are received by mainly female students. It is uncertain how male students behave in this environment of nursing education in hospitals and universities. This article aimed to review gender differences in the academic and clinical performances of undergraduate nursing students.

DESIGN

A systematic review was assessed and different themes were extracted by inductive approach.

DATA SOURCES

A search strategy was carried out for the period 2006-2011 utilising six computerised databases: Academic Search Premier, CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, ScienceDirect, and the Wiley Online Library.

REVIEW METHODS

Research studies were included and screened by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guideline. All articles in English that met our aim were selected and relevant results were abstracted and thematised.

RESULTS

Fifty-five articles were included. Five themes were generated from the literatures, including the differences of academic, clinical, psychological, nursing profession identity and health concept between male and female nursing students.

CONCLUSIONS

Both genders performed similarly in different aspects. Most studies revealed that the clinical placement satisfaction of male students was similar to that of female, despite the negative experiences the former faced during obstetric placement. Further research is needed to examine the gender differences in studying and make changes in the nursing curricula to accommodate with male students.