Identification of nursing students' attitudes toward older people.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to identify nursing students' attitudes toward older people.

METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted with 166 nursing department students enrolled in a four-year undergraduate programme in a university located in Eastern Turkey. The participants were chosen using convenience sampling method, and data were collected through the Descriptive Characteristics Form and Turkish version of Kogan's Attitudes toward Older People Scale (KAOPS).

RESULTS: It was found that the students participating in the study had positive attitudes toward older people, and the mean scores of those who wanted to work with older people after graduation were significantly high (p < 0.05). Scale mean scores according to receiving gerontology nursing course showed that there were no significant differences between the groups who received gerontology nursing course and who did not.

CONCLUSIONS: This study found that nursing students' attitudes toward older people were positive. Cultural features of the region where the study was conducted are considered to have effects on this result. Impact statement: As nursing students will provide care to older people in the future, it is important to know and assess their attitudes towards the older.