Koskinen Sanna, Burke Eimear, Fatkulina Natalja, Fuster Pilar, Löyttyniemi Eliisa, Salminen Leena, Stubner Juliane, Thorsteinsson Hrund Scheving, Leino-Kilpi Helena
Department of the Nursing Science, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
School of Nursing and Midwifery, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
Int J Older People Nurs. 2022 May;17(3):e12446. doi: 10.1111/opn.12446. Epub 2022 Jan 26.
Countries vary in the number of qualified nurses employed in older adult services. Moreover, students' views of older people nursing as a career differ internationally. Studying future nurses and their career intentions for the field is warranted to meet the increased nurse workforce expectations in terms of quantity and competence.
To analyse graduating nurse students' interest in older people nursing and the factors associated with it.
A cross-sectional multicountry survey design was applied. Data were collected between May 2018 and March 2019 from several educational institutions in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania and Spain. Non-probability convenience sampling was used to recruit graduating nurse students (n = 1796). The data were collected with a structured questionnaire comprising background factors and the Willingness sub-scale (six items) of the Students' Interest in Nursing Older People Scale. Data were analysed using a linear mixed model including relevant background variables.
Overall, students' interest in older people nursing was low (score 20.5, on a 0-100 scale). Among the studied countries, Spanish students scored the highest (38.8) and German students the lowest (3.6). Students' interest in older people nursing was associated with country (p < .001), the length of work experience (p = .006), plans for further study (p = .007), competence (p < .001) and the extent that nursing is valued by society (p < .001). The students who were most interested in older people nursing had higher self-reported competence level (p < .001).
In the studied sample of future nurse professionals, interest in older people nursing is low at a time when the field suffers from workforce shortage. As for quality workforce, it was promising that the students who considered working in the field also evaluated themselves as competent.
Multidimensional actions are required to promote interest in the field, including continued development of competence in both undergraduate education and workplaces, and investing in various career pathways to envisage potential opportunities.
各国从事老年护理服务的合格护士数量各不相同。此外，国际上学生对老年护理职业的看法也存在差异。鉴于对护士劳动力数量和能力的期望不断提高，研究未来护士及其在该领域的职业意向很有必要。
分析即将毕业的护理专业学生对老年护理的兴趣及其相关因素。
采用横断面多国调查设计。2018年5月至2019年3月期间，从芬兰、德国、冰岛、爱尔兰、立陶宛和西班牙的几所教育机构收集数据。采用非概率便利抽样法招募即将毕业的护理专业学生（n = 1796）。通过一份结构化问卷收集数据，问卷包括背景因素和《护理老年人学生兴趣量表》的意愿子量表（6个项目）。使用包含相关背景变量的线性混合模型对数据进行分析。
总体而言，学生对老年护理的兴趣较低（0至100分制下得分为20.5分）。在所研究的国家中，西班牙学生得分最高（38.8分），德国学生得分最低（3.6分）。学生对老年护理的兴趣与国家（p <.001）、工作经验时长（p =.006）、深造计划（p =.007）、能力（p <.001）以及社会对护理的重视程度（p <.001）相关。对老年护理最感兴趣的学生自我报告的能力水平更高（p <.001）。
在所研究的未来护士专业人员样本中，在该领域面临劳动力短缺之际，学生对老年护理的兴趣较低。至于高素质劳动力，考虑在该领域工作的学生也认为自己有能力，这是个好迹象。
需要采取多方面行动来提高对该领域的兴趣，包括在本科教育和工作场所持续提升能力，以及为设想潜在机会而投资各种职业发展路径。
