A comparison of amount of geriatric curriulum content in terms of baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes toward the elderly

Vita.Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare varying amounts of geriatric curriculum content with baccalaureate nursing students' attitudes about the aged. Procedure Two data-gathering instruments were employed. First, an Interview Guide was constructed to gather information about the amount of geriatric curriculum content. Second, the Tuckman-Lorge Questionnaire was used to measure attitudes toward the elderly. The population for the study was second semester senior students enrolled in baccalaureate nursing schools in Texas. The sample consisted of 570 students from 12 baccalaureate schools of nursing. Based on an interview with faculty from each school of nursing, the schools were divided into three groups according to the amount of geriatric curriculum content. Total scores, as well as scores on each of the 11 categories of the Tuckman-Lorge Questionnaire, were tabulated for every subject. Comparisons were made of the geriatric curriculum content groups in terms of Tuckman-Lorge Questionnaire scores. Results Analysis of the data revealed that there was no significant difference among geriatric curriculum content groups in terms of scores on the Tuckman-Lorge Questionnaire. However, the groups differed in three of the 11 categories on the Tuckman-Lorge Questionnaire. In all three of these differences, the medium content group had significantly higher scores than either one, or both, of the other two groups. The findings of this study regarding specialty preference and stereotypic attitudes toward the elderly differed from previous literature citations, which concluded that those who prefer geriatrics have greater stereotypic attitudes about the aged than those who choose other specialties. However, these conclusions were questionable since statistical techniques had not been applied. Previous findings concerning the paucity of interest in geriatrics were supported in this study. Only 19 of the 570 students indicated preference for work with the elderly. Conclusions Based on the data and within the limitations of this study, six conclusions seemed justified