For as far back as 2013 the growing aging population has been treading in the healthcare genre. Nursing education has to address the issues of the people living longer and participating in their healthcare. Seniors are used the internet to research their conditions and are challenging the health care provider about the care they are receiving and making suggestions of alternatives means of treatments. Nonetheless, negative attitudes and beliefs, pervasive misconceptions and assumptions (King, Roberts, & Bowers, 2013; Scerri & Scerri, 2013; Zhang, Liu, Zhang, Meng, & Liu, 2016) about the elderly by the young professionals in nursing hinder the possibility of the ageing society from achieving good healthcare provision services. The aging population is increasingly adding to the pressure to the overstrained health resources with its complex medical requirements.
The older populations that require specialized nursing care continue to undergo various challenges with their healthcare provision and as such are at the risk of recurring poor health outcomes. Stereotypical attitudes about the elderly as burdensome have contributed significantly to the limited number of young professionals in the nursing field who are willing to take up geriatrics. Globally, the ageing population is increasing and with it, creating the need and demand for proper healthcare systems.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
It is estimated that the world’s ageing population will double by the year 2050 (Officer et al., 2016). Approximately 80% of this population will live in the middle income countries. Currently, The United States boasts of having 44.7 million people aged 65 years or over. Noteworthy, is that individuals born in the year 1965 will reach the 65 age by 2030 which indicates that about 20% of this population will either be 65 years or older by the same year (United States Census Bureau., 2014). The ageing population is equally increasing in countries like Japan which already has the highest percentage of the ageing population in the world(Officer et al., 2016). This means that the situation for the ageing population should be prioritized across countries in the world, especially on matters relating to the demand in health care. Nurses using new technologies to care for patients, including the elderly, in their homes have been shown to reduce the number of hospital readmissions and visits to emergency wards. All of this cuts costs, of course, but it also improves the quality of life for patients. Indicating the prospective benefits that can be realized when more nurses are employed to cater for the needs of the elderly.
Since nurses are the primary caregivers to the elderly, there is need to increase awareness and demand for the nursing professionalism with the main focus on geriatrics. Experts have asserted that there is limited student interest in pursuing careers towards nursing the older persons yet, nursing education promises to curb the health challenges being faced by the elderly today (Lun, 2010). It has however been noted that most students have a poor perception on nursing in ageism. Nursing the elderly as an area of study has attracted the least number of students in the nursing profession. This is because most students find it to be less desirable (Berntsen & Bjørk, 2010; King et al., 2013). It is in this quest that most research studies have focused on promoting interest among young nursing professionals to pursue careers in nursing the older population. This has been achieved through enhancing knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and competencies (Swanlund & Kujath, 2012).
Educational strategies have been employed with the hope of creating the change in attitudes towards geriatrics. Moreover, it is expected that since knowledge is reflected in attitudes and practices, then educational strategies will aid in achieving positive attitudes from the students towards caring for the elderly. Research studies have yielded contradicting results when it comes to the effect of educational strategy on student attitudes towards nursing the elderly. Various studies conducted have indicated that there has been positive association between educational strategy and improvements in the attitudes of students towards nursing the elderly.
Substantive evidence indicate that students in the undergraduate level need educational strategies that can prompt and encourage positive attitudes amongf the students towards the elderly (King et al., 2013; Souder, Beverly, Kitch, & Lubin, 2012; Swanlund & Kujath, 2012). For instance, a study conducted by King et al., that gerontology course helped to dispel the negative students’ attitudes towards aging. This initiative was undertaken while enhancing their capabilities around dealing with the complex conditions of the elderly. Moreover, the students in the study reported to be willing to work with the elderly after the intervention.
Similar to this findings, was a report published by (Baumbusch, Dahlke, & Phinney, 2014), found out that integrated approach of the content about older adults and general coursework positively influenced students towards acquisition of knowledge about nursing the elderly. Positive attitudes among the students towards gerontology have been associated with innovative and experiential strategies of teaching (Chen, Kiersma, Yehle, & Plake, 2015).
Also, another author reported that employing experience and realism to the teaching experience that can be achieved through documentaries can aid in promoting the learning experience. Arguments around the need to increase of competent, compassionate and knowledgeable expertise to care for the adult population have made some organizations channel substantive resources towards promoting education in gerontology. Several research studies have examined the significance of using gerontological educational approaches to change the knowledge, attitudes as well as practices of the student nurses towards the elderly (Baumbusch et al., 2014; Davies, Reitmaier, Smith, & Mangan-Danckwart, 2013; King et al., 2013; Nolet et al., 2015). Experts assert that incorporating the creative activities during learning allows the nursing students to experience understanding and improved knowledge among other things that are associated with the challenges faced by the adult patients (Chen et al., 2015).
In one of the service learning projects, the Generational as Partners in Education (GAPIE), observers noted that the project was able to facilitate closure of the intergenerational gap between the elderly and the young student nurses (Leung et al., 2012). The project required that the nursing students pair up with older adults for a period of 10 weeks. The time entailed service learning activities including communication, intergenerational contact, and discussions that related to the ageing process. Moreover, the students participated in self-directed learning program online. In the end, it researchers noted that the GAPIE program increased the knowledge of students on aging. It was also noted that there was a reduced stereotypical perceptions about aging among the students (Leung et al., 2012).
Similar to these findings were those by McCleary, who found out that after viewing the documentaries on aging, the student nurses depicted increased knowledge as well as developed positive attitudes and perceptions towards ageing (2014). The reality program enabled students to go beyond didactic style of learning (McCleary, 2014).
Contrary to these findings, are William et al., findings as reported by (Neville, Dickie, & Goetz, 2013). According to Neville, Dickie and Goetz (2013), William et al., noted that students still remain reluctant to pursue a career in gerontology despite positive responses to clinical experiences due to preferences of work between older adults and the students after graduation. This as the authors assert is due to the high demands of the elderly which is realized by the students after the experience of giving care to the elderly. King et al. mentions that students reinforce knowledge gained from stand-alone courses and decreasing connotations of any negative long time care.
A Creative Bond Intervention (CBI) also showed a positive significant change in in the attitudes and practices of the student nurses after participating in art activities with the older population (Lamet, Sonshine, Walsh, Molnar, & Rafalko, 2011). Walton and Blossom (2013), observed similar findings in the Healthy Partners program. The program entailed student nurses partnering with older patients in home visiting activities. The program ended indicating results that depicted a positive bond between the students and the older patients. The program also yielded positive results associated with decreased stigma that is often related to ageing. Moreover, the program increased the knowledge of the ageing process both in the nursing students and the elderly and as such, made the elderly feel more appreciated (Walton & Blossom, 2013).
Another study identified four emerging patterns that were associated with student’s engagement with the older population. These patterns included discovery of the intergenerational relationship that had more value, overcoming the painful memories of the past experience, rejecting the ageist stereotypes, and gero-transcendence of both wisdom and peace (Gallagher & Carey, 2012). This goes to show how effective communication and experiential learning improved knowledge and the attitudes towards ageing.
The noticeable key outcomes in combating poor health outcomes of the ageing population include increasing the required knowledge and skills about ageing among the nursing students. A knowledgeable, enthusiastic and competent workforce can be instrumental in promoting the health demands of the elderly. Research findings have indicated that both general course work and experiential learning improved the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of the nursing students towards meeting the health demands for the elderly. However, inconsistent literature could be arising from the different methodology in study designs and instruments. The gaps in the literature are threats to internal validity, specific instrumentation to measure attitudes and perception, generalizability and perceptions towards aging. The instruments that have been used to measure knowledge and attitude of health care disciplines include KATOP and Palmore’s FAQ (Neville et al., 2013). Stronger evidences should be used to improve the use of these instruments.
In order for research to be deemed to be quality, psychometrically sound instrumentation is critical to facilitate stronger nursing practice and education. Suggestions have been made on future research suggestions for more diverse sample sizes. Hence, there is the need to employ innovative instruments when assessing knowledge and attitudes in this field. Four emerging themes, beliefs, knowledge, attitudes, and application, suggested how the students' geriatric knowledge and attitudes evolved and took on personal meaning in their intermediate practice experiences. Their realization of the hegemony associated with devaluing of the care of older adults warrants further examination into how geriatric knowledge is conveyed and assimilated
References
Baumbusch, J., Dahlke, S., & Phinney, A. (2014). Clinical instructors' knowledge and perceptions about nursing care of older people: A pilot study. Nurse education in practice, 14(4), 434-440.
Berntsen, K., & Bjørk, I. T. (2010). Nursing students’ perceptions of the clinical learning environment in nursing homes. Journal of Nursing Education, 49(1), 17-22.
Chen, A. M., Kiersma, M. E., Yehle, K. S., & Plake, K. S. (2015). Impact of the Geriatric Medication Game® on nursing students' empathy and attitudes toward older adults. Nurse Education Today, 35(1), 38-43.
Davies, S. M., Reitmaier, A. B., Smith, L. R., & Mangan-Danckwart, D. (2013). Capturing intergenerativity: The use of student reflective journals to identify learning within an undergraduate course in gerontological nursing. Journal of Nursing Education, 52(3), 139-149.
Gallagher, P., & Carey, K. (2012). Connecting with the well-elderly through reminiscence: Analysis of lived experience. Educational Gerontology, 38(8), 576-582.
King, B. J., Roberts, T. J., & Bowers, B. J. (2013). Nursing Student Attitudes Toward and Preferences for Working with Older Adults. Gerontology & geriatrics education, 34(3), 272-291. doi:10.1080/02701960.2012.718012
Lamet, A. R., Sonshine, R., Walsh, S. M., Molnar, D., & Rafalko, S. (2011). A pilot study of a creative bonding intervention to promote nursing students' attitudes towards taking care of older people. Nursing research and practice, 2011.
Leung, A., Chan, S., Kwan, C., Cheung, M., Leung, S., & Fong, D. (2012). Service learning in medical and nursing training: a randomized controlled trial. Advances in health sciences education, 17(4), 529-545.
Lun, M. W. A. (2010). Student knowledge and attitudes toward older people and their impact on pursuing aging careers. Educational Gerontology, 37(1), 1-11.
McCleary, R. (2014). Using film and intergenerational colearning to enhance knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. Educational Gerontology, 40(6), 414-426.
Neville, C., Dickie, R., & Goetz, S. (2013). What’s stopping a career in gerontological nursing?: literature review. Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 40(1), 18-27.
Nolet, K., Roberts, T., Gilmore-Bykovskyi, A., Roiland, R., Gullickson, C., Ryther, B., & Bowers, B. J. (2015). Preparing tomorrow's nursing home nurses: the wisconsin long term care clinical scholars program. Gerontol Geriatr Educ, 36(4), 396-415. doi:10.1080/02701960.2014.954040
Officer, A., Schneiders, M. L., Wu, D., Nash, P., Thiyagarajan, J. A., & Beard, J. R. (2016). Valuing older people: time for a global campaign to combat ageism: World Health Organization.
Scerri, A., & Scerri, C. (2013). Nursing students' knowledge and attitudes towards dementia—A questionnaire survey. Nurse Education Today, 33(9), 962-968.
Souder, E., Beverly, C. J., Kitch, S., & Lubin, S. A. (2012). EARLY EXPOSUREto Geriatric Nursing Through an Externship Program. Nursing Education Perspectives, 33(3), 166-169.
Swanlund, S., & Kujath, A. (2012). Attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students toward older adults: A pilot study. Nursing Education Perspectives, 33(3), 181-183.
United States Census Bureau., U. S. C. (2014). As the nation ages, seven states become younger, Census Bureau reports. . Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2014/cb14-118.html.
Walton, J., & Blossom, H. (2013). The experience of nursing students visiting older adults living in rural communities. Journal of Professional Nursing, 29(4), 240-251.
Zhang, S., Liu, Y.-h., Zhang, H.-f., Meng, L.-n., & Liu, P.-x. (2016). Determinants of undergraduate nursing students' care willingness towards the elderly in China: Attitudes, gratitude and knowledge. Nurse Education Today, 43, 28-33.
