University of Cebu-Banilad Library

Thesis (Degree Master of Science in Nursing) -- University of San Carlos, 2001.

Summary: Florence Nightingale's ideas about the education of nurses have guided educators in designing the nursing curriculum to what it is today: an integrated body of scientific knowledge. The integration of Gerontological Nursing to the present curriculum is an essential component of the nursing students' Related Learning Experience (RLE). Specifically in the University of San Carlos (USC) College of Nursing, the basic concepts in the care for the elderly are discussed to students in relation to the theoretical inputs for growth and development commencing the second year in the BSN curriculum. It is believed that elderly care is highly individualized which encompasses the biological, psychological, and social aspects of aging. The increased numbers of the aged and their increasing demands for the optimum quality of care have influenced the helping professionals to become more clearly involved in the field of gerontology and geriatrics. The clinical experience among student nurses is believed to take the form of a new, modified, or transformed knowledge, skills, habits, feelings, concepts, and appreciation among others towards elderly care. The USC Gerontological Nursing RLE Program has gone through evolutionary changes from simply providing students with worksheets to a more comprehensive RLE program in the 90's - which guides them as they care for the institutionalized elderly persons or those found in the community. The research utilization model used in the study was an eclectic approach, a combination of the Dracup Breau Model and the Michigan State Model, otherwise known as the Conduct and Utilization of Research in Nursing (CURN). The Dracup Breau Model was used to initiate the research process that allowed a maximum control in designing the program. The CURN Model was used to initiate the second phase of the research utilization framework. An earlier survey conducted on Personal Concepts of Aging indicated that the students' learning needs are increasing in response to the expanding complexities and demands in elderly care. The findings of the survey have challenged the researcher to evaluate the present program. It also served as the basis in restructuring the USC Gerontological Nursing RLE Program. The restructuring of the program was aimed to address both students' learning and elderly clients' health-care needs. The Restructured Gerontological Nursing RLE Program is two-part in nature: the first part is composed of learning activities; the second part is a structured day-to-day program of activities. Specifically, the acceptability of the study was dependent of the following: (a) effect of the restructured program on the students' knowledge, attitude, and skills, (b) level of satisfaction among elderly clients of the care provided on the value of the restructured program. Eight (8) nursing students of USC College of Nursing were used as study subjects. They belonged to the last batch of nursing students who were scheduled to rotate at the Home for Dying Destitutes (HDD) fr Gerontological Nursing RLE on the second semester of School Year 1999-2000. They were given a general pre-clinical orientation on the first part of the Restructured Gerontological Nursing RLE Program for three (3) days. It was composed of learning activities designed to increase students' self-awareness, beginning knowledge, acquisition of positive attitude, and skills in elderly care. Four (4) self-awareness activities were given on the first and second day of implementation. An orientation on the following RLE activities and requirements also followed: History Taking and Nursing Assessment, Nursing Care Planning and NANDA use, Program Planning, Clinical Learning Journal, Case Presentation, and Case Analysis: A Life Review Process. On the third say of implementation, the students were oriented to the staff, physical set-up, and institutional policies of the Home for Dying Destitutes (HDD). The students were allowed to interact with their respective elderly clients or initial data gathering. The following activities were introduced to the elderly clients form days four (4) to eleven (11): group spiritual exercise, regular exercise program, occupational therapies, implementation of program plans, recreational or diversional activities of nursing care plans, and socialization activities. On day eleven (11), the elderly clients were asked to answer the Elderly Care Visual Analogue Scale to determine their level of satisfaction on the care provided by the nursing students. At the termination of students' exposure (Day 12), a case was presented by the group which was followed by an evaluation examination. Individual conferences were also conducted and the students were asked to answer the Student's Visual Analogue Scale to determine their knowledge, attitude and skills in elderly care. The raw data was gathered and subjected to statistical treatment to give enough basis and to support the adoption of the Restructured Gerontological Nursing RLE Program. Results revealed that the mean scores for knowledge on the aging process and self-care demands of the elderly, positive attitude towards elderly and elderly care, and skills in providing elderly care were highly increased. Data also showed that the elderly clients were very satisfied with the care provided by the nursing students. The students generally perceived that the Restructured Gerontological Nursing RLE Program is of great value.

Nursing