EDUCATIONAL GERONTOLOGY, cilt.50, sa.8, ss.736-745, 2024 (SSCI)
Objectives: Given the increased demand for health
professionals to work with older adults, research on the factors that influence
students' career choices is critical in order to increase the popularity of gerontology.
The purpose of this study was to investigate willingness and related
factors of undergraduate nursing students to work with older adults.
Methods: A descriptive and
cross-sectional study was conducted with 579 undergraduate nursing students in Turkiye.
The data were collected using the descriptive characteristics form, the 12-item
expectations regarding aging scale (ERA-12), Kogan's attitudes toward old
people scale (KAOP), and willingness to work with elderly people scale (WEPS).
Descriptive statistics, and multiple regression were used for data analysis.
Results: The WEPS, ERA-12, and KAOP mean
score of the students were 68.57±11.54 (range: 20-120), 59.83±15.09 (range: 0-100),
and 142.98±18.63 (range: 34-238), respectively. Expectations regarding aging, attitudes
toward older adults, prior experience caring for older adults and completed an elective geriatric nursing course
predicted positively total score of WEPS. These variables accounted for 14% of
total variance of WEPS (R2:
0.137, F:
12.995, p < 0.001).
Age, sex, and academic year also predicted positively total score of WEPS, but
it was not statistically significant.
Conclusion: The willingness of nursing students to work with older adults was
moderate. To enhance nursing students' willingness to work with older adults,
nursing programs should foster a positive attitude towards older adults and
expectations regarding aging. Greater willingness of nursing students to care
for older adults will eventually improve the quality of care for the geriatric
population.