Qualitative exploration reveals increased empathy and professional growth in nursing students for older adults, highlighting person-centered care principles.
Purpose: To describe second-year nursing students' perception and clinical learning experiences related to the Age-Friendly Care 4Ms Framework. Method: A qualitative exploratory study using inductive thematic analysis of student-generated clinical reflections and course artifacts was performed. Data were coded independently by researchers and synthesized into themes to ensure analytic rigor and accuracy. Results: Five themes emerged and included Challenging Assumptions , Upholding Dignity and Personhood , Communication and Connection , Staff Engagement and Family Involvement , and Shared Humanity . Conclusion: Integration of the 4Ms Framework into early clinical education fostered empathy, critical thinking, and professional growth. Students' perceptions evolved toward person-centered care and highlighted the richness of nursing home experiences in shaping professional identity. Embedding structured, age-friendly clinical experiences in nursing education can shift attitudes, enhance communication skills, and better prepare students to work effectively with older adults living in nursing homes.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Kitt-Lewis et al. (2025) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: