| Summary: | The current status of gerontological nursing curricula
in Canadian generic baccalaureate nursing programs has not
been studied. As the Canadian society changes the health
care system is struggling to provide adequate health care to
the growing population over the age of 65. Nurses must be
prepared to assist the elderly in the community and in
institutions to cope with increasing disabilities.
Therefore, the study of gerontological nursing should be a
requirement in a nurses' basic education to prepare them to
work with older clients in all settings.
This study used a survey methodology to determine the
present status of gerontological content in baccalaureate
nursing education curricula. Questionnaires were sent to
each of the 22 deans/directors of the Canadian generic
baccalaureate nursing programs and to 31 provincial
reputational "experts" in the field of gerontology. A
return rate of 90% and 93% was obtained respectively.
The study asked five questions: 1) What nursing model
or concepts are used by the generic baccalaureate schools of
nursing? 2) What gerontological content is included in these
programs? 3) What gerontological content is integrated in
courses or taught in required or elective specific
gerontology courses? 4) What gerontological clinical
experiences are required? and 5) Are faculty academically
prepared to teach gerontological content? Answers to these
questions were compared with similar questions asked of
reputational "experts".
A quarter of the schools did not use nursing concepts
or models while many schools chose a nursing model which was
not consistent with their philosophy of health. Ninety
percent of the schools taught gerontology content in
integrated courses; half of the schools also offered a
specific gerontology course of which 40% were elective
courses. Even though all 49 listed gerontology topics and
28 patient problems and care techniques were taught by the
majority of the schools there is little evidence the schools
are producing gerontology prepared nurses. The gerontology
clinical hours accounted for only 7.4% of the total clinical
experiences. The "experts" recommended gerontology receive
21% of the clinical hours and that it be dispersed in a
variety of community and clinical settings. Few (5%)
faculty members were prepared with a post graduate degree in
gerontology to act as positive role models for the students.
Few (2%) students chose a gerontology practicum in their
last year.
The findings and recommendations are meant to assist
educators with the task of expanding the gerontological
curricula in generic baccalaureate nursing programs. The
nine recommendations address ways to assist schools to
reevaluate their curriculum and improve nursing care to the
elderly in Canadian society. === Education, Faculty of === Educational Studies (EDST), Department of === Graduate
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