Professional competency for elder care: perception among professors, nursing students, and nurses

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Nursing Education
• Healthcare Competencies

Background:

• Effective elder care requires specialized nursing competencies.
• Perceptions of these competencies vary among nursing professionals and students.
• Understanding these perceptions is vital for curriculum development and practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To ascertain the perceptions of nurses, undergraduate students, and professors regarding essential competencies for professional nurses in elder care.
• To identify core competencies required for geriatric nursing practice.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative analytical study was conducted.
• Data collection involved semi-structured interviews with 6 professors, 4 nurses, and 12 nursing students.
• Fiorin's Discourse technique, supported by MAXQDA software, was used for data analysis.

Main Results:

• Identified competencies include: knowledge of gerontology theories and concepts, communication skills, active listening, leadership, teamwork, proactivity, respect, and empathy.
• These competencies are considered fundamental for effective elder care nursing.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive understanding of identified competencies enhances the comprehension of the aging process.
• Acquiring these competencies is essential for qualifying nurses to provide high-quality elder care.
• Bridging the gap between educational perceptions and practice needs is key to advancing geriatric nursing.