Nursing students with past exposure to older adults have better attitudes toward older people.
•Service learning projects can improve nursing students' attitudes toward older adults.
•Students' attitudes toward older adults do not always predict their eventual choice of work setting.
AbstractBackgroundWith a rapidly growing population of older adults in the U.S., nurses are needed to provide quality gerontological nursing care. However, few nursing students plan to specialize in gerontological nursing and many relate their lack of interest in gerontological nursing to negative pre-existing attitudes toward older adults.
PurposeAn integrative review was conducted to examine factors associated with positive attitudes toward older adults in baccalaureate nursing students.
MethodsA systematic database search was performed to identify eligible articles published between January 2012 and February 2022. Data were extracted, displayed in matrix format, and synthesized into themes.
ResultsTwo overarching themes were identified as having a positive impact on students' attitudes toward older adults: past rewarding experiences with older adults and gerontology-focused teaching strategies, particularly service-learning projects and simulation.
ConclusionNurse educators can improve students' attitudes toward older adults by incorporating service-learning and simulation activities into nursing curriculum.
KeywordsOlder adult
Geriatrics
Attitude
Stereotyping
Nursing student
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