experience of nursing home care: A strong influence on physical therapist students' work intentions, The

Journal of Physical Therapy Education, Spring 2002 by Tovin, Melissa Moran, Nelms, Tommie, Taylor, Leslie F

Several studies investigated the impact of various clinical experiences on physical therapist students' attitudes and work intentions. Clinical experience with older patients, particularly well elderly patients, positively correlated with interest in treating elderly people and specializing in geriatrics, as well as with more positive attitudes toward older adults in general. 14,29,32-35

Taylor and Tovin34 surveyed a total of 190 physical therapist students from 3 different programs in one state: 2 entry-level bachelor's degree programs and 1 entry-level master's degree program. The questionnaire was designed to study students' attitudes toward elderly people in general, toward elderly people as clients, and toward various work arenas.34 Their results indicated that a predominantly geriatric clinical experience was one of 3 significant predictor variables for students to have favorable views toward working in a nursing home.

In 1991, Wong36 studied the impact of previous nursing home work experience on physical therapist students' interest in working with elderly patients. A questionnaire was completed by 127 upper-division students in one entry-level bachelor's degree program. Results indicated that students with previous negative nursing home experience were less interested in working with elderly patients because of the experience. Students who enjoyed a previous nursing home experience, however, were significantly more interested in working in chronic care settings than students without nursing home experience.

A study by Dunkle and Hyde37 revealed factors that influenced physical therapist students' and nursing students' intentions toward working with elderly patients. Their sample consisted of a total of 176 students from 7 entry-level physical therapy programs and 6 baccalaureate nursing programs. Influencing factors were student attitudes and their perceptions regarding their families' expectations that they work with elderly people.37 The study revealed that work intention positively correlated with actual job selection. The authors posited that the students' attitudes were based on underlying beliefs regarding the advantages or disadvantages of working with elderly people and underlying beliefs regarding the approval or disapproval of others concerning the decision to work with elderly people. In their conclusion, the authors stated that their findings supported Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action.31

The methodology used in the majority of studies reviewed was quantitative surveying of students' or professionals' knowledge and attitudes toward elderly people and geriatrics.14,18-24,26-29,32-38 Past research regarding physical therapists' perceptions and attitudes toward geriatrics significantly lacked a qualitative research perspective. Quantitative methods alone are inadequate to gain deep understanding of human phenomena such as attitudes, values, or intentions, at the core of which is human experience. Deep understanding of students' experiences with older adults and geriatric physical therapy was the focus of this study. Thus, a qualitative methodology was chosen.