Nursing Student Attitudes Toward and Preferences for Working With Older Adults

Abstract

A growing aging population will require nurses who prefer to work with older adults. Schools of nursing have used several strategies to improve students' attitudes, and encourage preferences for working with older adults. However, research on these strategies is inconsistent, with some programs improving students' attitudes whereas others have no effect. More recent studies have found that although attitudes have improved, working with older adults is generally the least preferred area of nursing. The purpose of this longitudinal mixed methods study is to describe and explain student nurse attitudes and preference changes over time. Eighty undergraduate nursing students were surveyed over 2 years. Students' attitudes and preference for working with older adults improved over time. However, their preference to work in nursing homes was consistently ranked last among the 10 choices for work preferences. In focus groups, students reported that the gerontological course dispelled myths about caring for older adults, and that clinical placement played a major role in influencing student work preferences.

Keywords:

• nursing education
• nursing student attitudes
• nursing student preference
• older adults

Acknowledgments

University funding support was provided through the Helen Denne Schulte Professorship for subject incentives. Barbara J. King's training through the conduct of this study was supported by the John A. Hartford Foundation Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Scholarship program. Tonya J. Roberts' training during the conduct of this study was supported by award number T32NR007102 from the National Institute of Nursing Research and the John A. Hartford Foundation Building Academic Geriatric Nursing Capacity Scholarship program. The authors acknowledge the generous assistance of Dr. Jeffrey Henriques with online survey development and management. The content of this article is solely that of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of National Institutes of Health.

Notes

1. Time 4 work setting data could not be analyzed because of an error in the questionnaire wherein the question asked was substantively different than at the other three time points. At Time 4 participants were asked to rank only the places they had applied for a job, rather than all settings.