Comparison of Sophomore and Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Older Adults

Comparison of Sophomore and Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Attitudes Toward Older Adults
Author: Mary P. Shortreed
Publisher:
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2015
Genre: Ageism
ISBN:

Ageism is prevalent in society and healthcare. Research has shown that nurses and nursing students do not prefer to care for older adults. With the percentage of older adults increasing, by 2030 one in five Americans will be over the age of 65. The current nursing shortage is increasing as the population increases. This growth in the older adult population will further increase the demand for nurses. Although many related studies have not been conducted in the United States, results are conflicting whether nursing students enter their education with negative attitudes towards the older adult or if they develop negative attitudes during the education and socialization process. Little is known regarding the effect of gender on these attitudes. The purpose of this study was to compare sophomore and senior baccalaureate nursing students’ attitudes toward older adults, using a cross-sectional comparative descriptive design. The convenience sample included all sophomore and senior baccalaureate nursing students at a Midwest university in the United States. Of the possible 179 students, 177 chose to participate, and this study was completed prior to the sophomores attending any clinical experiences. Attitudes were measured using the Kogan’s Attitude Toward Old People Scale (KATOP) and Work Preference Ranking. On the KATOP scale, both sophomore and senior nursing students had very positive attitudes toward older adults. As most research has shown nursing students having negative attitudes on this scale, this study was not consistent with the literature. Related to work preference ranking, most of the literature shows nursing students ranking caring for older adults low upon entering a nursing program, with these rankings becoming more negative over time. This study showed that although students consistently preferred to care for populations other than older adults, there was no statistical difference between sophomore and senior students’ attitudes toward older adults. Gender had no effect on attitudes toward older adults on the KATOP or work preference rankings. This study did show statistical significance for students who had previous experience caring for older adults compared to students with no experience. Students with this experience were more likely to rank caring for older adults more favorably. This study will add to the body of literature in the United States regarding nursing students’ attitudes towards older adults by showing that although nursing students do not prefer to care for older adults compared with other patient populations, their attitudes toward this age group are very positive.

Educating Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students to Recognize and Report Negative Behavior in the Clinical Setting

Educating Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students to Recognize and Report Negative Behavior in the Clinical Setting
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2014
Genre: Health education
ISBN: 9781321505375

The aim of the study was to determine if senior nursing students who witness negative behavior in a video that simulates a clinical experience are able to recognize the behaviors as negative and to determine if they would report or ignore the behavior. While the clinical rotation provides an essential venue for socialization into the role of the professional nurse, socialization into a culture of abuse also begins at this time. Clinical nurses are frequently identified as a major perpetrator of the negative behavior experienced by students. Episodes of negative behavior, verbal and physical, are under reported. Some reasons given for underreporting include that being a recipient of violence was viewed as a rite of passage and the student has a desire to fit in. This was a mixed method, two groups, randomly assigned, intervention trial. The intervention group attended a one-hour training program on recognition and reporting of negative behavior while the control group attended a one-hour session on sleep and shift work. Both groups then viewed a video containing six vignettes simulating a clinical experience including negative behavior and completed the study survey. The independent variable is the negative behavior training program. The dependent variable is the student's identification of negative behavior in the video. Statistical analysis found no significant difference between the groups demographics. Statistical significance was found in identifying nonverbal abuse. Both groups were able to recognize the verbal and physical negative behaviors. Emerging themes were developed from the qualitative responses. Education focusing on recognizing covert forms of negative behavior and the continued need to report, if incorporated into nursing education curriculum may help break the cycle of violence identified as "eating our young".