Nursing Students’ Willingness to Care for Older Adults

Abstract

The older adult population has increased and is projected to grow. This population usually has chronic disorders that need continuous care. However, it has been reported nurses and nursing students have negative attitude towards older adults. This descriptive study aimed at investigating factors influencing nursing students’ willingness to care for older adults. This study was conducted among 270 nursing students at the university in the United States from February 1 to February 28, 2017. Study participants answered the survey about quality and frequency of contact with older adults, anxiety about aging, empathy, attitude, and willingness to care for older adults. Tools in the study included; quality and frequency of contact with older adults; anxiety of aging scale; interpersonal reactivity index; attitude towards older adults; and willingness to care for older adults. The result showed factors influencing nursing students’ willingness to care for older adults; the year (e.g. first, second, and third year) of nursing program, anxiety of aging, and empathy towards older adults. Therefore, this study recommends the nursing program be revised to improve nursing students’ willingness to care for older adults by increasing empathy and quality of contact with older adults and decreasing anxiety about aging throughout the program.