Student’s Corner

In discussing the potential implications of the attitudes of the registered nurse towards the work of caring for older people, it was helpful to highlight why this work is important, gain some understanding of quality care and how it can be facilitated or hindered. Patient centred care is essential as there is great diversity found amongst older people. It was found that attitudes held by registered nurses and students towards older people have a direct impact on the quality of care provided. Negative attitudes and stereotyping get in the way of quality care while positive attitudes enabled quality care. In identifying the factors that influence these attitudes, registered nurses can take on a leadership role in promoting positive attitudes and challenging negative attitudes towards the care of older people with the goal of providing patient centre care.