Effects of an educational and contact-based program to reduce ageism among nursing students: A quasi-experimental...

To test the effectiveness of the Program to Reduce Ageism among Nursing Students (PRANS) in reducing ageism among Korean nursing students.

Ageism during pre-licensure education can undermine the quality of care for older adults, yet evidence-based interventions for Korean students are limited.

Quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control-group pre-posttest design.

PRANS blended evidence-based aging education with direct and imagined intergenerational contact. Thirty-six first- or second-year nursing students were allocated to an experimental group (n = 18) or a control group (n = 18). Outcomes-knowledge of aging, anxiety about aging, the image of older adults and explicit and implicit ageism-were measured at baseline, post-intervention and at four-week follow-up.

Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed greater gains in knowledge of aging, lower anxiety about aging and more positive image of older adults at both post-intervention and four-week follow-up. No significant between-group differences were detected for explicit or implicit ageism.

A short, contact-enriched educational program can enhance nursing students' cognitive and affective responses to aging, although deeper attitude change may require longer or more intensive exposure. Multi-site trials with extended follow-up and qualitative exploration are recommended to verify durability and transferability of effects.