Educational strategies to promote professional nursing in long-term care. An integrative review.

This integrative review investigates various strategies in professional nursing education that facilitate positive attitudes toward working with older adults in long-term care (LTC) environments, including nursing homes. Nine studies contained strategies that increased positive attitudes of nurses towards older adults. The barrier most frequently identified is lack of gerontological knowledge by faculty and students, suggesting increased knowledge in faculty may ensure that older adults receive quality care. Early introduction of students to people who are aging successfully may dispel bias against older adults. Lack of current nursing role models in LTC settings may reinforce negative stereotypes.