Evaluation of Continuing Education for Long‐Term Care Personnel: Impact upon Attitudes and Knowledge*

Abstract

Nursing assistants (aides) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) from three proprietary nursing homes participated in a continuing education program designed to enhance knowledge and attitudes about the elderly in long-term care. The program covered six weeks for the initial 115 aides and one full-day seminar for the 83 LPNs. The content covered knowledge and human anatomy, the physiology of normal aging, physical and psychosocial problems of the elderly and, for the nurses, problems associated with cardiovascular accidents. The final participants (29 aides and 52 LPNs) consisted of those who were tested before and after their training with respect to knowledge, life satisfaction, and attitudes toward the elderly. Results indicated overall favorable changes for both aides and LPNs, particularly in the areas of increased knowledge and more positive attitudes. The data suggest that continuing education is an effective means of influencing the knowledge and attitudes of personnel in long-term care facilities, and it should be a first step toward improving the quality of care for elderly residents.

A Nursing Assistant Training Program in a Long Term Care Setting

“…Almquist, Stein, Weiner and Linn (1981) surveyed a group of licensed practical nurses and nursing assistants who participated in an educational program geared to improve knowledge about the aging process. Their results, contrary to the present study, indicated that the educational program had a positive impact on the knowledge about aging of both groups.…”

What is elder abuse—who decides?

“…Use of vignettes can also allow people to discuss topics without fear of being judged regarding their work performance. Assessment of performance using vignettes has demonstrated acceptable validity when compared with performance in real consultations (Almquist et al, 1981).…”

Long‐term care personnel assess their attitudes and knowledge of the older adult

“…A substantial amount of the gerontological nursing bterature has concentrated on nurses' attitudes about the elderly Huckstadt (1983) found that nurses' scores reflected misconceptions relahng to the number of elderly people in long-term mstitutions, the frequency of acadents for aged dnvers, and the number of elderly people in the US populahon The scores cm Palmore's Tacts on Agmg Quiz', Part I (Pabnore 1977), m Huckstadts' study, also mdicated that the nurses perceived elderly people as bemg bored, isolated and lonely, becoming more religious, and frequently imtated and angry Another important factor revealed m the literature is that health care professionals are more knowledgeable about disease processes in elderiy people than about the Dye & Sassenrath (1979) conducted a study of factual knowledge m relation to the ageing process The health care professionals (physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, dietitians and recreational therapists) were asked to classify 15 conditions mto either normal agemg changes or disease-related processes Interestingly, the number of correct classi6cahons was greater for identifying the disease-related process than for the normal ageing process This lack of knowledge on the part of the health care professionals m long-term care settmgs could have a significant impact on the quality of care A few studies have been conducted m regard to the importance of contmumg education about knowledge of normal agemg changes m elderly people Farady (1980) discusses the importance of m-service trammg of aides for performance of speafic tasks A study by Almquist et al (1981) consisted of havmg bcensed practical nurses and nurse aides partiapate m a 6-week contmumg education course designed to enhance knowledge and attitudes about elderly people Another study by Prevost et al (1991) supported the addihon of gerontologic nursmg content to onentation and contmumg education programmes m acute-care settmgs There were no studies which assessed all nursmg-home personrtel m relahon to their knowledge of normal agemg changes and athtudes about elderly people…”