Elder Abuse Education Using Standardized Patient Simulation in an Undergraduate Nursing Program.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Gerontology
• Public Health

Background:

• Elder abuse affects over 1 million older adults annually.
• Nurses require knowledge of elder abuse signs, assessment, and interventions.
• Effective educational strategies are crucial for preparing nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a three-part learning strategy for educating nursing students on elder abuse.
• To assess the impact of lecture, simulation, and debriefing on student learning.

Main Methods:

• Prelicensure nursing students participated in a lecture on elder abuse.
• Students engaged in simulations with standardized patients (SPs).
• Knowledge, skills, and attitudes were assessed using pre- and posttests.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in knowledge and skills related to elder abuse identification and assessment were observed.
• No significant changes in student attitudes towards elder abuse were found.
• The teaching strategies positively impacted learning, enhancing students' ability to identify and advocate against elder abuse.

Conclusions:

• A combined approach of lecture, SP simulation, and debriefing is effective for educating nursing students on elder abuse.
• This educational model enhances practical skills and knowledge for addressing elder abuse.
• Further research could explore methods to improve attitudes regarding elder abuse among nursing students.