Baccalaureate nursing students as research clinicians in long-term care

Use of nursing homes in Baccalaureate nursing education

“…Participating in research projects with faculty, nursing home staff and multidisciplinary teams, students observe the integration of nursing research and practice in clinical settings. To enhance students' involvement in the conduct of research for aging populations, they must participate in the process (Matzo, 1994; Mezey et al , 1997). Recognizing and experiencing collaborative work with multiple disciplines can also increase students' interest in the pursuit of research on aging with various professional groups (Walsh & Wilhere, 1988).…”

“…A didactic approach is commonly used for teaching research skills in BSN programs. With the belief that students must take part in the process of conducting research to actually appreciate the value of research, Matzo (1994) developed an effective group research project for senior BSN students by using two days of their clinical rotation in nursing home settings. She further suggested that research should be integrated into long‐term care clinical experiences since the experiential component brings meaning and value to the research process and application of findings (Matzo, 1994).…”

“…One area addressed in earlier research was the impact of nursing home placement on students' attitude toward the elderly (Cook & Pieper, 1985; Heller & Walsh, 1976). In recent reports, the relationship between use of nursing homes as clinical sites and nursing curriculum design was examined (Johnson & Connelly, 1990; Matzo, 1994; Oneha et al , 1998; Philipose et al , 1991; Tagliareni, 1991). Further, based on a comprehensive review of published research findings, the specific use of nursing homes in clinical teaching was documented in the areas of basic skills (Barrett & Metz, 1981; Everett & Hooks, 1985; Hartley et al , 1995; La Mancusa, 1981; Wall‐Haas et al , 1983), leadership and management (Gass & Tarr, 1986; Karam & Nies, 1994), research (Matzo, 1994; Mezey et al , 1997), and community health (Hogstel, 1988; Kraft & Nelson, 1988; Robertson, 1988).…”

A novel program for ABSN students to generate interest in geriatrics and geriatric nursing research

“…In 1994, Matzo [6] used two clinical days to have students gather data in a nursing home as part of a larger project. Sidell, [7] working with social work students, assigned them to quantitative research projects in a nursing home setting.…”

“…In each of these experiences, the students self-reported gains in knowledge of care of older adults, as well as increased interest in research and the value of evidence-based practice. [6–8] Further, a recent study by Kydd, et al [4] examined nursing student attitudes towards caring for older people and they found that “educators play an important part in shaping attitudes toward older people and helping students see career opportunities in the specialty”. [4] Thus, it appears that geriatric nursing researchers might play a key role in helping nursing schools stimulate student interest in both research and care of older adults.…”