Assessment of nurses' attitude towards geriatric patients In a tertiary care hospital of Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Nurses' attitude towards geriatric patients

Abstract

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Nurses engage with elderly individuals across various levels of care, yet observations indicate the presence of relational gaps that contribute to adverse outcomes for elderly patients.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the factors shaping nurses' attitudes towards the care of elderly patients.

Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in Benazir Bhutto Hospital Rawalpindi comprising of registered nurses, from August 2023 to October 2023.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was used as data collection tool using convenient sampling. The sample size of this study was 140. Both male and female nurses having work experience of more than 2 years were included in the study. The nurses who were not residents of Rawalpindi were excluded as they may have different working conditions, patient demographics and healthcare protocols which could skew the results and reduce the study's internal validity. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 23. Frequencies and percentages were computed, descriptive statistical analysis was done.

Results: A total of one hundred and forty nurses were included. About 89(64.0%) were aged between 15-25 years, 45(32.0%) aged between 26-35 years, 6(4.0%) aged between 36-45 years. Regarding attitudes, the majority agreed to have felt good caring for elderly patients except thirty six percent of the participants who felt it was a tedious job. The majority of the participants i.e. one hundred and fourteen individuals (81%) disagreed with the notion that caring for geriatric patients would hinder their ability to attend to other patients. About 80% nurses stated that the mental status and diverse behavioral exhibitions were major hindrances towards effective care of them.

Conclusion: The study's findings indicate that the majority of nurses exhibit a positive attitude toward elderly care and demonstrate a solid understanding of geriatric care principles.