SENIOR NURSING STUDENTS' ATTITUDES TOWARD ELDERLY PERSONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM DESIGN IN BACCALAUREATE NURSING SCHOOLS (ELDERLY).
Contributors: Michigan State University.
Published: 1991
Number of pages: 131
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Gerontology.
Description: The purpose in this study was to explore attitudes of senior nursing students toward elderly persons and to draw implications from the study findings for curriculum design and course modification in baccalaureate nursing schools. The objectives were to determine factors that influence students' attitudes toward the elderly population; to investigate relationships among students' cognitive and affective knowledge, skills, and experiences in gerontology; and to use the findings to recommend curriculum development and modification that may positively influence attitudes toward elderly persons. Selected variables associated with positive or negative attitudes toward aging were studied.

The population of 202 senior nursing students surveyed represented six Michigan public universities; the response rate was 54%. Data-collection instruments included Palmore's Facts on Aging Quiz: Part 2 (FAQ2), Hogan's Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (ATOP), and a comparative data questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were used to compile a profile of the participants. Pearson product-moment correlations and one-way analyses of variance were used to determine relationships among variables.

A significant negative correlation was found between respondents' positive and negative attitude scale scores. Statistically significant relationships were found between (a) mean FAQ2 scores and mean ATOP scale scores, (b) respondents' age and geriatric preference, (c) respondents' age and age of clients with whom respondents preferred to work, (d) geriatric preference and length of time spent caring for ill elderly in community settings, and (e) mean FAQ2 scores and respondents' estimates of percentage of U.S. population that is old. Personal experiences positively influenced students' attitudes toward elderly persons. No significant relationship was found between (a) mean FAQ2 scores and amount of clinical nursing experience with well and ill elderly and (b) mean FAQ2 scores and amount of gerontological coursework.

Nurse educators should continue studying students' attitudes toward the elderly to develop positive attitudes toward the elderly in future health care providers. The need to incorporate more gerontology into nursing curricula should be studied. Nursing curriculum models should be evaluated to isolate factors influencing positive attitude formation and change toward elderly persons.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-03, Section: A, page: 0704.

Thesis (PH.D.)--MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, 1991.

School code: 0128.