Comparison of Knowledge and attitude of Nursing Students and Nurses towards facts of aging period in 2019

Today, caring for growing population of the elderly is important. Elderly health management requires identifying existing knowledge and attitudes and revising educational programs, in this way, the aim of this study was compare the Knowledge and attitude of Nursing Students and Nurses towards facts of aging period.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on 403 nursing students and 446 nurses working in teaching hospitals of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in 2019. Sampling of students and nurses were done by using census method and random-classified method (relative), respectively. The knowledge and attitude of nursing students and nurses were evaluated by using self-report questionnaire (FAQ: Facts on Aging Quiz) and (KOP: Kogan Attitudes toward Old People). Data analysis was performed in SPSS 16 software by using independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation.

The mean scores of knowledge and attitude in nursing students were 10.91±2.95 and 143.04±13.07 and in the nurses group were 10.72±3.02 and 143.57±12.15, respectively. Only mean score of students' knowledge in psychosocial dimension was statistically higher than nurses (P = 0.03). And nurses had a more positive attitude toward the elderly in gratitude (P = 0.02).

The findings showed that university curricula and in-service programs provided in hospitals were not rich in the realm of the elderly and they failed to bring the knowledge of students and nurses to the desired level. Therefore, considering the growth of the phenomenon of aging in the society, reconsideration of existing educational programs is a serious proposal.