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Updated: Jun 27, 2026
08:47
Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Assessing students' learning needs and attitudes: considerations for gerontology curriculum planning
Mary Elaine Koren1, Judith Hertz, Donna Munroe
1School of Nursing, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA. mkoren@niu.edu
Gerontology & Geriatrics Education
|December 2, 2008
Summary
Healthcare students want more gerontology education, particularly on elder support resources, end-of-life care, and specific disorders. Understanding student attitudes and needs improves gerontological nursing curricula.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Nursing Education
Background:
- The increasing population of older adults necessitates specialized healthcare training.
- Effective gerontological education requires understanding student attitudes and learning needs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess prelicensure undergraduate nursing students' (N=200) attitudes and perceived learning needs regarding older adults.
- To correlate gerontology knowledge and attitudes with confidence in caring for elderly patients.
Main Methods:
- Survey administered to 200 undergraduate nursing students.
- Analysis of perceived learning needs and attitudes toward older adults.
- Correlation of gerontology knowledge and attitudes with comfort and confidence levels.
Main Results:
- Students expressed a need for more information on supportive resources for elders and caregivers.
- Students interested in gerontological nursing selected more topics, prioritizing end-of-life issues and specific disorders.
- Attitudes and knowledge levels were correlated with comfort and confidence in geriatric care.
Conclusions:
- Student input is crucial for designing effective gerontology courses and curricula.
- This methodology can inform the development of other gerontology educational programs.
- Addressing identified learning needs can enhance future healthcare professionals' preparedness for geriatric care.
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