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Students' Knowledge of and Interest in Older Adults: Impact of a Geriatrics Course
Background:
The number of older adults living with chronic conditions is steadily increasing, so nurses must be prepared to care for the needs of this population. However, only one third of nursing education programs include a stand-alone geriatrics course.
Method:
A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was used to compare two cohorts of 46 nursing students. Knowledge, attitude, and interest in older adults were examined using an online survey. The control cohort did not complete the geriatric course.
Results:
No demographic differences were found between groups. Completing the geriatric course was not correlated with having greater aging-related knowledge. Decreased interest in working with the older adult population was found.
Conclusion:
Findings from this cross-sectional pilot study suggest that previous experience with an aging relative was associated with better aging-related knowledge. Further research exploring students' perceptions is needed to understand the relationship between the geriatric course and attitudes toward aging. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(2):106-109.].