Gerontological nursing in Ghana: Preferences and perceptions of nursing students

ABSTRACT

Undergraduate nursing students in developed countries are reported to have poor perceptions and low preference for gerontological nursing. However, perceptions and preferences of undergraduate nursing students toward gerontological nursing in low-income countries have not been well explored. This study explored the perceptions and preferences of undergraduate nurses in Ghana toward gerontological nursing. A mixed method study design was used to explore Ghanaian undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions and preferences for caring for older people. One hundred and seventy-four nursing students were surveyed and 30 of them were interviewed. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS version 27. Content analysis was used to analyze qualitative data to generate themes. Response rate in the study was 73%. The majority of participants (95.4%) were below the age of 29. Gerontological nursing was ranked as the least preferred nursing specialty among graduating undergraduate nurses. Poor perceptions and inadequate knowledge about the care of older people were largely responsible for the lack of preference for gerontological nursing. Improving undergraduate nursing students’ knowledge about gerontological nursing is critical in correcting poor perceptions about gerontological nursing.

KEYWORDS:

• Gerontology
• Africa
• Ghana
• nursing
• perception
• preferences
• education

Ethics approval

Ethics approval was provided by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Reference number of ethics approval is CHRPE/AP/679/19.

Aknowledgement

The author would like to acknowledge a previous comment paper published from the project in 2021 (Atakro, Adatara, & Afaya, 2021). The comment paper can be found at https://doaj.org/article/0ade8b97182f468ba172ac5769107226. The author would also like to thank all undergraduate nursing programs and students who participated in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

ORCID iD

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9944-8619

SECTION A: Demographic data

Kindly tick as appropriate:

1. Gender

   1. Male

   2. Female

   3. Other, state …

   4. Prefer not to answer

2. Nursing school

   1. Kwame Nkrumah university of Technology

   2. University of Development Studies (UDS)

   3. University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS)

   4. Christian Service University College (CSUC)

   5. Garden City University College

3. Age (in years)

   1. 15-19

   2. 20-24

   3. 25-29

   4. 30-34

   5. 35-39

   6. 40-44

   7. 45-49

   8. 50-54

   9. 55-59

   10. 60-64

   11. Other, state …

4. Which level are you in the nursing program?

   1. First year

   2. Second year

   3. Third year

   4. Fourth year

5. Were you taught a course in gerontological nursing in this nursing program?

   1. Yes

   2. No

6. Will you kindly like to be involved in Zoom interview?

   1. Yes

   2. No

SECTION B: Preferences for nursing discipline as future career

1. Which discipline of nursing do you want to specialize in the future?

   1. Gerontology

   2. Pediatrics

   3. Obstetrics/Midwifery

   4. Public health

   5. Critical care

   6. Ophthalmic nursing

   7. Theater nursing/perioperative nursing

   8. Anesthesia

   9. Emergency

   10. Psychiatry

   11. Dental nursing

   12. Other, state

2. Kindly describe briefly the reason for your choice of nursing specialty.

Section C: Interview questions

1. What do you understand by older people’s care or gerontological nursing? Probe: any definitions you know?

2. Kindly describe what you think about older people and their care needs. Probe: do you think they are easy to care for? Kindly describe why.

3. What is your perception or view about caring for older people? Probe: Kindly describe how you feel when caring for older people.

4. Do you intend practicing as a geriatric nurse? describe why you do or why you don’t.

5. Will you choose gerontology as a future career? Describe why you will or will not.

6. Describe any positive experiences you have of caring for older people.

7. Describe any negative experiences you have of caring older people.

1. Does your gerontological nursing course influence your interest about caring for older people? Kindly explain reasons for your answer.

2. Does your gerontological nursing course influence your perception for caring for older people? Kindly explain reasons for your answer.

3. Does your gerontological nursing course influence your preferences for caring for older people? Kindly explain reasons for your answer.

4. Explain any other issues you wish to discuss about the care of older people in Ghana, that has not been asked.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.