Nursing students' and clinical instructors' attitudes towards older adults

Abstract

The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to examine nursing student attitudes before and after their first clinical placement with older adults; (2) to determine if there is a relationship between clinical instructors’ attitudes and those of nursing students; and, (3) to explore if clinical instructors’ attitudes influence student nurses’ attitudes towards older adults. This study employed a mixed methods approach. Using Holroyd et al.’s (2009) survey, the attitudes towards older adults of 152 nursing students were measured over two time periods and compared to the attitudes of 13 clinical instructors. Interviews were also conducted with 13 nursing students and 6 clinical instructors. Findings indicated that nursing students’ attitudes became more positive and that there was a significant relationship between students’ and instructors’ attitudes. A conceptual model was also developed, which revealed that instructors impact students’ attitudes through being role models and that students emulate them as a result.