Factors influencing baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward older adults: An integrative review

With a rapidly growing population of older adults in the U.S., nurses are needed to provide quality gerontological nursing care. However, few nursing students plan to specialize in gerontological nursing and many relate their lack of interest in gerontological nursing to negative pre-existing attitudes toward older adults.

An integrative review was conducted to examine factors associated with positive attitudes toward older adults in baccalaureate nursing students.

A systematic database search was performed to identify eligible articles published between January 2012 and February 2022. Data were extracted, displayed in matrix format, and synthesized into themes.

Two overarching themes were identified as having a positive impact on students' attitudes toward older adults: past rewarding experiences with older adults and gerontology-focused teaching strategies, particularly service-learning projects and simulation.

Nurse educators can improve students' attitudes toward older adults by incorporating service-learning and simulation activities into nursing curriculum.