Factors That Impact Registered Nurses' Decisions to Continue Providing Care to Older Adults
Author: Bosfield, Saundra
Date: 2013-06-00
Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Subjects: Nurses,Older Adults,Geriatrics,Statistical Analysis,Correlation,Age Differences,Course Content,Continuing Education,Nursing,Nursing Education,Questionnaires,Personality Traits,Measures (Individuals),Reliability,Validity,Demography

The purpose of this study was to investigate if there is a significant difference in the following: (a) nurses' likelihood to remain in geriatrics between age groups (those over 40 years of age and those under 40 years of age); (b) nurses' likelihood to remain in geriatrics and personality traits; (c) nurses' likelihood to remain in geriatrics related to geriatric course content, the number of geriatric related courses or continuing educations units taken, and familiarity with seven geriatric issues impacting the nursing profession. Data collection took place over 30 days. One hundred questionnaires were provided to participants who worked in a hospital in Los Angeles County. Forty-four females and 4 males responded. Questionnaires were collected by the researcher. A chi-square test of independence was performed to examine the relationship between the age of nurses ((those over 40 years of age and those under 40 years of age) and their preference to remain in geriatrics. The chi-square value of 0.825 was not significant at the 0.05 level of confidence. An independent sample t test showed that the t tests were for personality traits of being extraverted, enthusiastic, dependable, self-disciplined; open to new experiences, complex; disorganized, careless. and conventional were significant at the 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed no significance differences in the mean scores of incorporating geriatrics into the curriculum, geriatric-related courses taken, and seven geriatric issues related to nurses' decisions to continue working in geriatrics. There is no single model to address the numerous and varied care problems in health care settings. Some suggestions to improve nursing care in long-term care nursing are (a) adopt an evidence based framework to strengthen geriatric nursing practices, (b) implement strategies to retain those working in geriatrics, (c) strengthen programs that teach geriatric nursing, (d) perform more research in the field of geriatrics and gerontology, and (e) implement a professional practice model in nursing homes. The study contained 3 tables, the research questionnaire, and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI)questionnaire. The following are appended: (1) National Supply-and-Demand Projections for FTE Registered Nurses, 2000 Through 2020; (2) Total Population and Older Population: United States, 1950-2050; (3) Distribution of the Projected Older Population by Age for the United States: 2010-2050; (4) Research Questionnaire; (5) Age-Adjusted Percentages of Select Conditions Among Persons 45 Years of Age and Over: United States, 2008; (6) Consent Forms: Permission to Participate; (7) Model Oral Instructions to Participants Involved in Survey Research; (8) Institutional Review Board Application and Approval; (9) Institutional Permission Letter; (10) Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative; (11) EDMC Code of Business Ethics and Conduct; and (12) IRB Organizing Letter: IRB Letter of Assurance.