Factors associated with gerontological career choice: The role of curriculum type and students’ attitudes

Abstract

Background and objective: Caring for a growing aging population presents a challenge in contemporary health care. This study aims to identify factors associated with nursing student's career choice in older adult care and predictors of attitudes toward older adults. Such information is critical to inform effective gerontological nursing education. Methods: Undergraduate nursing students (N = 411) from three nursing schools in California participated in a cross-sectional, web-based survey. Results: In covariate-adjusted analyses, students who had prior experiences taking gerontology-related courses, working with older adults, living with older adults, being confident in providing older adults care, and having lower negative attitudes toward older adults were more likely to consider a future career in gerontological nursing. Students' confidence in older adult care was negatively correlated with negative attitudes towards older adults. Conclusions: To increase students' career choice in gerontology, nursing schools should provide more gerontology content in nursing curricula and explore avenues to increase student confidence in older adult care.

Predictors of Willingness to Nurse Elderly People among Nursing Students in Zagazig University, Egypt

“…In the same stream, higher percentage was reported by Faronbi et al [6] in Ile-Ife, Nigeria who find out that more than two third of participants held a positive attitude towards the care of elderly. Also, Lee et al [18] and Lee et al [19] in USA stated that nursing students expressed more positive than negative attitude toward elderly.…”

Attitudes and work preferences toward older people among Malay undergraduate nursing students

“…A positive association between attitudes and work preferences with older people was reported in some studies. 13,14,[21][22][23] However, several studies have reported that there was no significant association between attitudes and work preferences toward older people. 24,25 It was reported that although nursing students have a positive attitude toward older people, they are not interested in aged care.…”

Teaching Gerontology in Transcultural Academics: A Phenomenographic Study of Thai and Swedish Nurse Educators’ Conceptions of Gerontological Nursing

“…Various measures, such as public image campaigns and improving working conditions, have been taken to increase retention and students’ interest in long-term care (LTC) of older adults ( OECD, 2020b ). Studies have also shown that formal education in gerontology, combined with personal encounters with older people, has positive implications for how older adults are regarded and treated by younger generations and health care professionals ( Lee et al, 2018 ; Mattos et al, 2015 ; Mattsson & Pietilä Rosendahl, 2017 ). Much of the focus has been on student and nurse perspectives, while this study explores nurse educators’ conceptions of GN in two different cultures, with similar challenges in increasing nursing students’ interest and competency in LTC of older adults with compromised health.…”