Research Information System
BMC GERIATRICS, vol.25, no.1, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
Backround: This study aimed to examine the perceptions of nurses who work in surgical units about old age and their attitudes towards the older patients they care for. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with nurses (n = 202) who worked in surgical units in a university hospital located in western Turkiye. The data were collected using a Nurse Information Form, Attitude Scale Towards Ageing and Elderliness (ASAE), and Kogan's Attitudes Towards Old People Scale (KAOPS). Results: The mean age of the nurses was 31.41 +/- 6.13 years, with 57.9% being 31 years of age or younger. Among the participants, 63.9% were female, 61.4% were married, and 74.7% held a bachelor's degree. The mean score of the Kogan's Attitudes Toward Older People Scale (KAOPS) was 96.53 +/- 12.90. The mean total score of the Attitude Scale Towards Ageing and Elderliness (ASAE) was 145.55 +/- 24.73. Sub-dimension scores of the ASAE were as follows: difficulty in accepting old age, 38.71 +/- 8.25; perception of social wear-out, 46.71 +/- 8.14; difficulty in coping with life, 35.03 +/- 6.74; and negative image, 25.08 +/- 4.49. A statistically significant difference was found between nurses' age and their scores on the "difficulty in accepting old age" subscale (p < 0.05). Additionally, surgical nurses living in nuclear families had significantly higher KAOPS scores compared to those living with roommates or extended families (p < 0.05). Conclusion: It was determined that nurses' views on old age and aging affect their attitudes towards the older patients. It was observed that nurses' views on old age and aging were negative, but their attitudes towards the older patients were positive.