J Nurs Acad Soc.  1976 Dec;6(2):1-9.

A Study of the Attitudes of Nurses toward the Geriatric Nursing Care

• Choi KO

Abstract

Presently, there is increasing demand for geriatric nursing care because of increasing proportion of elderly population due to extended age. Of particular importance in determining the effectiveness of nursing care given to the elderly is the attitude of the nurse toward the elderly patient. Knowledge of the various changes that usually occur with aging will enable the nurse to help an aged person maximize his potential in illness and in health. The objectives of this study were : 1 . To delineate the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care. 2 . To learn the influencing factors affecting the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care. The study population defined and randomly selected is 225 nurses at one general hospital, one private hospital, two national hospitals in Seoul during the period of October 10th - 20th, 1975. The questionnare method was used. Respondents were 140 nurses. X2-test and t-test were employed in analyzing the data. The questionnare form inculded 54 statements which concerned the attitudes of nurses toward geriatric nursing care. It was divided into five areas : 1 ) General characteristics of study population. 2 ) The nurse's concepts of elderly. 3 ) Care of the geriatric patient. 4 ) Interpersonal relationship with geriatric patient. 5) Teaching of the geriatric patient. Each of the 54 statements of the questionnare was considered to be either Positive or Negative. A Positive response was assigned the value of+1, and a Negative response or no response was assigned the value of 0. The results of the study were as follows : 1. The Investigation of attitudes of nurses toward geriatric nursing care. a. Data indicated respondents have negative attitudes in their concepts of elderly (74.3%) b. Data indicated respondents have positive attitudes in care of geriatric patient (64. 3%). c. Data indicated respondents have positive attitudes in interpersonal relationship with geriatric patient (85%). d. Data indicated respondents have positive attitudes in teaching of geriatric patient (89.3%). 2. The results of study regarding the five hypothesis were as follows: a. There was significant difference in the mean scores between the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care and level of education of the nurse. b. There was no significant difference between the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care and clinical experience, but there was significant difference between care of the geriatric patient and clinical experience. c. There was no significant difference between the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care and shift most frequently worked, but there was significant difference between care of the geriatric patient and shift most frequently worked. d. There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care and marital status, but there was significant difference in the mean scores between interpersonal relationship, teaching of geriatric patient and marital status. e. There was no significant difference in the mean scores between the attitudes of nurses toward the geriatric nursing care and experience with elderly, but there was significant difference in the mean scores between care of geriatric patient and experience with elderly.

MeSH Terms

Aged
Aging
Education
Geriatric Nursing*
Hospitals, General
Hospitals, Private
Humans
Marital Status
Nursing Care
Seoul
Surveys and Questionnaires