AN ANALYSIS OF GERONTOLOGICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE IN BACCALAUREATE NURSING CURRICULA (ROLE MODEL, EDUCATOR, AGED-ILL, DISCIPLINE, 'WELL' ELDERLY).
Contributors: Rutgers University.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 145
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: Based on the findings of previous studies that both students and professional nurses prefer not to work with elderly clients, this study was designed to examine the gerontological content of generic baccalaureate programs. The instrument used was a non-standardized form developed by the researcher to identify the existence of a defined unit in gerontological nursing, the settings for experiential learning with elderly clients, the preparation and experience of faculty responsible for student learning, the sequential placement of gerontological theory and practice in the curricula, and the use of specific textbooks in gerontological nursing. The curricula of 81 accredited generic baccalaureate nursing programs located in colleges or universities in the eight states with the greatest number of elderly clients, were evaluated for gerontological content and practice. The results suggested that despite the profession's declarations of the need for developing nursing competence in the care of the aged, the small number of programs (9 out of 81) with a defined unit in gerontological nursing was disappointing. Forty-two programs offered students a learning experience with "well" elderly in the community however, utilization of nursing homes for the practice of basic skills is common in many programs. There is a dearth of prepared nurse faculty to act as role models for students in long-term care facilities and the practice of assigning student nurses to care for the aged-ill as a predominant gerontological experience continues to be the emphasis in (0.48) of nursing programs in the selected sample. The sequential placement of gerontological theory and practice varied with the individual program and the particular pattern of integration of care of elderly clients into the curriculum. The use of specific gerontological textbooks was extremely limited with only 10% of the nursing programs citing references to the care of elderly clients.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-02, Section: B, page: 0572.

Thesis (ED.D.)--RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY - NEW BRUNSWICK, 1985.

School code: 0190.