Professional Experience Placement

This study reported by Nicholson (2015) aimed to understand Australian undergraduate nurses’ perceptions of working with older people. The impetus for the study was the aging population has major social and economic  implications for the nation and the workforce. This alongside with the increased prevalence of chronic and degenerative diseases places a high demand on the healthcare system. This study focused on assessing students’ perceptions of working with older people, students’ personal disposition and consequences of working with older people. There were 886 responses from eight universities within Australia. Nicholson (2014) reported students had a positive perception of working with older people, however, on closer inspection of their responses they perceived that nurses working with older people did not want to use technology and  lower skill was required. Students also reported that working with older people for the first time made them anxious, did not appeal and was a ‘dead end’ job.  Students also noted older people rarely get better and so there would be less job satisfaction. Students also reported nursing older people is stimulating, require a high skill level and older people are really interesting to nurse. The author also investigated prior experience of students with older people before starting their nursing education. Of those that did report they had worked with older people were more likely to report working with older people was positive. Additionally, those currently working with older people also indicated their experience was a positive one. The author also found that younger students who had no prior experience of older people had less positive perceptions than those who had. First year students were more positive than other year students. Nicholson (2014) reports that students recognised working with older people could be challenging, but did not want to commit to working with older people when they qualified. This study was undertaken in 2008 and published in 2014.  It would be interesting to survey current students and investigate whether this perception still holds or whether there has been a cultural shift in the intervening 9 years.

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