“If You're Frail You've Had It”: A Theory of Planned Behavior Study of Student Nurses' Attitudes Towards Working with Older Patients

Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Predict Nutrition Students' Intention to Work with Older Adults

As Registered Dietitian Nutritionists play an important role in providing nutrition care plans for successful aging, it is important to identify factors influencing nutrition students' intention to work with older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify significant predictors of nutrition students' intention to work with older adults by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A total of 183 students, majoring in Nutrition at a large Southern University, completed a questionnaire examining validated TPB constructs. Structural Equation Modeling with maximum likelihood was used to analyze the data. The structural model provided a good fit to the data (x² = 44.95, df = 38, p < 0.01; RMSEA = 0.03, CFI = 0.99; TLI = 0.99. Attitude (γ = 0.49, p < 0.001) and subjective norm (γ = 0.39, p < 0.001) emerged as significant predictors of nutrition students' intention to work with older adults. Findings highlight the importance of providing dietetics curricula that provide opportunities for students to develop positive attitudes toward working with older adults. Dietetic educators should present themselves as positive role models in working with older adults, as the educators influence students' intention to work with this population.

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.

'With a bit of tweaking…we could be great'. An exploratory study of the perceptions of students on working with older people in a preregistration BSc (Hons) Nursing course

BACKGROUND

With ageing demographics, it is important that nurse education curriculum can prepare students to work with older people.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To explore students' perceptions of working with older people and the extent to which their preregistration curriculum is preparing them for this role.

DESIGN

A qualitative research design, incorporating focus groups in data collection.

METHODS

Four focus groups were held in January 2011, involving a total of 32 students undertaking a preregistration BSc (Hons) nursing degree course.

RESULTS

An overt focus in the preregistration curriculum on acute and critical care and perceived deficits in care of older people content left some students feeling underprepared to work with older people and to challenge ritualistic practice. Clinical placement experience and mentor support appeared to be influencing students' decisions about whether they would consider working with older people in the future.

CONCLUSION

Education providers should ensure that students are adequately prepared to work with older people and that students are supported when they observe poor practice. A finding that observation of ritualistic practice could prompt some students to consider working with older people, warrants further research. Implications for practice. Nurse educators should evaluate the content and delivery of their preregistration courses to ensure that the prerequisite knowledge, skills and attitudes required to work with older people are accorded appropriate value and attention.