Biomaterial Database

Case study of the attitudes and values of nursing students toward caring for older adults. 2011

Courtney Evers, and Jenny Ploeg, and Sharon Kaasalainen

School of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, West Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. eversca@mcmaster.ca

Given the aging population and the complex needs of older adults, there is considerable need for additional gerontological nurses. This pilot study explored fourth-year nursing students' attitudes and values toward caring for older adults and the influence of their experiences with older adults on these attitudes and values. Using Yin's exploratory case study design, 51 fourth-year nursing students constituted the single case. An initial quantitative survey placed students in three embedded units of analysis: neutral, pro-aged, and anti-aged bias toward older adults. Using purposeful sampling from each of the embedded units, 9 students were interviewed. Four main values (respect, caring, independence, and wisdom and experience) and five attitudes (enjoy older adults, see older adults as normal, feel sorry for older adults, are frustrated by older adults, and dislike gerontological nursing) were identified. The authors' findings have important implications for education and practice.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007407	Interviews as Topic	Works about conversations with an individual or individuals held in order to obtain information about their background and other personal biographical data, their attitudes and opinions, etc. It includes works about school admission or job interviews.	Group Interviews,Interviewers,Interviews, Telephone,Oral History as Topic,Group Interview,Interview, Group,Interview, Telephone,Interviewer,Interviews, Group,Telephone Interview,Telephone Interviews
D007722	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	Knowledge, attitudes, and associated behaviors which pertain to health-related topics such as PATHOLOGIC PROCESSES or diseases, their prevention, and treatment. This term refers to non-health workers and health workers (HEALTH PERSONNEL).	Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
D008297	Male		Males
D010865	Pilot Projects	Small-scale tests of methods and procedures to be used on a larger scale if the pilot study demonstrates that these methods and procedures can work.	Pilot Studies,Pilot Study,Pilot Project,Project, Pilot,Projects, Pilot,Studies, Pilot,Study, Pilot
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004508	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate	A four-year program in nursing education in a college or university leading to a B.S.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Graduates are eligible for state examination for licensure as RN (Registered Nurse).	External Degree Programs, Nursing,Nursing Education, Baccalaureate,Baccalaureate Nursing Education,Baccalaureate Nursing Educations,Education, Baccalaureate Nursing,Educations, Baccalaureate Nursing,Nursing Educations, Baccalaureate
D005260	Female		Females
D005851	Geriatric Nursing	Nursing care of the aged patient given in the home, the hospital, or special institutions such as nursing homes, psychiatric institutions, etc.	Nursing, Geriatric,Geriatric Nursings,Nursings, Geriatric
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man