Attitudes and knowledge toward the elderly of nursing students before and after a gerontological educational intervention

Abstract

This study, guided by Peplau's (1952) Interpersonal Process model, compared attitudes and knowledge of associate degree nursing students, baccalaureate degree nursing students, and geriatric nurse practitioner students before and after a gerontological educational intervention. The descriptive, simple interrupted time series design used Kogan's (1961) Attitudes Toward Old People scale and Palmore's (1976) Facts on Aging Quizzes I and II. Mean attitude scores of the three groups did not significantly change, while mean knowledge scores declined. Significant positive correlations (p<.05) were found between attitude/knowledge scores and age of the client with whom the subjects preferred to work. A strong correlation existed between subject age and preferred age of client; older students preferred to work with older clients. Longitudinal studies of attitudes and knowledge and qualitative and quantitative research are needed to examine long term effects of gerontological education.