[Basic nursing education and attitude towards the elderly]

Working with seniors implies a change in outlook from caregiving to a more global psychosocial approach. Nurses' inappropriate attitudes toward seniors can have far-reaching implications for seniors themselves. A negative attitude can accentuate their cognitive problems, while a positive one can promote their autonomy. According to the literature, nurses' educational level has a bearing on whether or not they adopt a positive attitude toward this age group. This Quebec study was conducted to evaluate the effect of nurses' initial training on their attitudes toward seniors in acute care hospitals. A sample of 636 registered nurse members of the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) were randomly selected and stratified into three groups by initial training (hospital, community college and generic baccalaureate in nursing). Kapos' (1972) self-report attitude opinion scale was used for evaluation. A 67 per cent return rate was attained for a total of 425 respondents. The three groups were compared using variance analyses and Scheffé comparisons test. Results indicate that nurses with a bachelor's degree have more positive attitudes toward seniors in comparison to hospital and community college trained nurses. This outcome reinforces the position taken by various North American professional nursing associations and corporations that a bachelor's degree in nursing should be the only recognized entry level to the profession. On an administrative level, this study can be used as a guideline in selecting nursing personnel most qualified and with a positive attitude to provide quality care to seniors.