DESCRIPTIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE ANDATTITUDE TO WORK WITH OLDER PEOPLE AMONGTHE UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS IN AL-NAMAS, KSA.

Mrs. SHEELIYA WHITE

Volume : VIII, Issue : I, January - 2019

DESCRIPTIVE STUDY TO ASSESS THE KNOWLEDGE ANDATTITUDE TO WORK WITH OLDER PEOPLE AMONGTHE UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS IN AL-NAMAS, KSA.

Mrs. Sheeliya White

Abstract :

BACKGROUND: There is a proportionate increase in the health problems along with an increase in the elderly population in Saudi Arabia. Nurses need to be well prepared with knowledge and should have an optimistic attitude regarding elderly care. AIM: The aims of this study is to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards the care of older people among the undergraduate nursing students in Al-namas, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was carried out with the samples of 80 undergraduate nursing students. The knowledge questionnaire consists of 24 multiple-choice questions with one right answer. The attitude was assessed in a Likert‘s five-point scale, It consisted of 16 items. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The findings in this study thus illustrate that nursing students have, in general, relatively good knowledge in all the aspects of ageing. The result denotes that 60% of students have positive attitude and 40% of students have a negative attitude. There was significant in the knowledge and the demographic variables of sources of information (P < 0.05) and the students have old-age people at home (P < 0.001). There was no significance between knowledge level and other demographic variables. There was significant in the average attitude (p-value < 0.004) towards the care of elderly people between the students who have and not have the elderly people at home. None of other demographic variables have significant. In this study knowledge level was associated with students‘ attitudes. (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The results of this study showed that good knowledge among the students and the positive attitude towards old-age people. The knowledge and attitude were positively correlated. This study is relevant as today�s student nurses are tomorrow�s registered nurses.