Identifying future geriatric nurses: psychometric evaluation of the German Willingness to Work with Elderly People Scale among nursing students

In German-speaking countries, where geriatric care faces a persistent nursing shortage, nursing students are expected to play a key role in addressing future workforce needs. Currently, there is a lack of valid and reliable instruments to assess nursing students' willingness to work with older adults. This cross-sectional study aimed to validate the German version of the Willingness to Work with Elderly People (WEPS-D) Scale and examine factors associated with the willingness to work with older adults to support geriatric workforce development in nursing education.

A convenience sample of 207 German-speaking nursing students completed the survey, including 52 students who participated in a 4-week retest. Structural validity was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), while convergent validity was assessed through correlations with the Kogan Attitudes toward Older People Scale (KAOP), Age Stereotypes (AS), and Future Self-views (FS). Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were examined. In addition, multiple linear regression was used to identify factors independently associated with willingness to work with older adults.

EFA identified a four-factor structure (intention, perceived behavioral control, attitude, and subjective norm) with 20 items, explaining 49.01% of the total variance. Convergent validity was supported at the factor level, with factor 3 (Attitude) showing a moderate correlation with the KAOP (r = 0.515, p < 0.01), while the total WEPS-D score showed a lower correlation (r = 0.385, p < 0.01) that did not meet the pre-specified criterion. At the scale level, internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.894, McDonald's ω = 0.902) and test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.882) were good, although factors 3 (Attitude) and 4 (Subjective norm) showed relatively low internal consistency. Multiple linear regression showed that higher education and negative or neutral attitudes toward aging were significantly associated with lower WEPS-D scores compared with vocational training and positive attitudes, respectively.

The WEPS-D is a valid and reliable tool for assessing nursing students' willingness to work with older adults. It can be used in schools to identify the potential workforce in geriatric nursing and guide early educational interventions.