Changes in nursing students' stereotypic attitudes toward old people

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Education

Background:

• Stereotyped attitudes toward older adults can negatively impact geriatric patient care.
• Nursing education plays a crucial role in shaping future healthcare professionals' perspectives on aging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a nursing course on students' attitudes toward the aged.
• To investigate the relationship between changes in student attitudes and instructor attitudes toward older adults.

Main Methods:

• Eighty nursing students participated in an eight-week course with nursing home laboratory experiences.
• Students' attitudes toward the aged were assessed pre- and post-course using the Attitude toward Old People Questionnaire.
• Instructors' attitudes toward the aged were also measured at the course's commencement.

Main Results:

• Student stereotypic attitudes toward older adults significantly decreased during the eight-week course.
• The extent of positive attitude change in students was found to be functionally related to their instructors' attitudes toward the aged.

Conclusions:

• An educational intervention incorporating geriatric patient care concepts can effectively reduce negative stereotypes among nursing students.
• Faculty attitudes toward aging may serve as a significant factor influencing student attitude development in gerontology education.