Changes of images toward elders and demented elders after practicum among nursing students

초록

Caregivers' positive attitudes toward elders are crucial in ensuring quality of care. Effects of gerontological nursing practicum on images toward demented elders and elders in general were examined. Thirty six senior nursing students were assigned to 2 day care centers for demented elders (Group1) and for elders with CVA (Group2) for 1 week between March and April, 2000. The students' images were obtained right before and immediately after the practicum using self-reported questionnaire. The images toward elders were measured with 50 items of semantic differential scale, from which 4 factors had been identified with 366 national sample of nursing students in a separate study. Those factors were vitality, mildness, cooperativeness, and prudence. Data were analyzed with paired t-tests. Before the practicum, both groups showed negative image except for mildness. The students of both groups showed positive mildness for elders in general. Positive changes occurred in almost all images in Group 2. In Group 1, positive changes were observed in vitality for both types of elders and mildness for demented elders only. Of all the changes, the only significantly negative change was for prudence toward elders in general in Group 1, which lessened the image difference between those elders. Although one-week practicum could improve the image of elders, the image was still negative except for mildness. Caring experience with elders other than demented ones might improve more of students' images toward elders in general and demented elders. Further study is needed to examine the effects of extended period of practicum among nursing students and ways to lead positive changes.