Knowledge and Attitude of Nurses and Nursing Students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences towards Older People

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction & Objective: Knowledge and attitude of nurses and nursing students can be used in providing effective care to the elderly. The aim of this study was to determine of knowledge and attitude of nurses and nursing students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences toward older people. Materials and Methods: This study is a descriptive cross-sectional study was performed from October 2018 to July 2019 on 403 nursing students of Nursing and Midwifery faculty of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences by census method and 446 nurses working in teaching hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences by random-classified sampling. Research tools included: Personal Information Questionnaire, Modified Question Form (FAQ: Facts on Aging Quiz) for Nurses and Nursing Students' Knowledge about Aging Facts, and KOP Questionnaire (Kogan Attitudes Toward Old People) for Nurses and Nursing Students' Attitude toward Aging. Data were analyzed using SPSS 16 software. Also descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation) and analytical tests including independent t-test and one-way ANOVA, Tukey’s range test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used. Results: The mean score of nurses' knowledge in different aspects of aging facts was 10.72 and nursing students was 10.91 (range of 0-25). This indicates the level of knowledge (75.6% of nurses and 78.9% of nursing students) are medium. The mean score of nurses' attitude in different aspects of elderly was 143.57 and nursing students was 143.04 (range of 34 to 238). This indicates the level of attitude of nurses and nursing students towards elderly is medium. The mean score of nurses' knowledge about the facts of aging in the psychosocial dimension was significantly higher than the mean score of students' knowledge in this regard (P = 0.03). The mean score of nurses' attitude in gratitude was higher than the mean score of nursing students (P = 0.02). There was a direct correlation between nurses' knowledge with their age (P = 0.02) and work experiences. (P = 0.03).Discussion & Conclusion: Population aging is now one of the major issues in health care systems. As the age increases, the likelihood of chronic illness and the demand for health care is increasing, and this will affect hospitals and care providers. Since nursing students are future health care professionals, it is important to pay attention to their knowledge of the elderly. Nurses' knowledge of aging phenomena helps to accelerate the process of improving and enhancing the quality of services provided. The more nurses and nursing students have more positive emotions and attitudes toward caring for the elderly, the more satisfying they will be