NURSING STUDENTS’ DESIRE TO CARE FOR GERIATRIC PATIENTS IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Background: The rapidly expanding global population of elderly adults poses greater need for health-care services in the elderly. The objectives of this study were to determine nursing students’ desire to care for geriatric patients by sex, age groups and marital status in Lahore, Pakistan. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was done in Lahore School of Nursing, University of Lahore, Pakistan from September 2021-December 2021. Sample of 112 was enrolled. Nursing students’ desire to care for geriatric patients was research variable and sex, age groups (19-21 & 22-25 years) and marital status (single & married) were demographic variables. Mean, range, and SD were used to represent 'normal' data, whereas median, Q1, Q3, and IQR were used to explain skewed data with 95%CI. Hypotheses were tested using independent-samples t-test for normal data and one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test & Mann–Whitney U test for skewed data. Results: The observed median score of the sample (3.1667) for nursing students’ desire to care for geriatric patients was statistically significantly lower (p=<0.0001) than expected (3.5) score. The mean score was similar (p=.60) for boys (3.1667) and girls (3.2328). It was higher (p=.003) in age group 21-25 (3.3150) than 19-21 years (3.0777). The median score was similar (p=.182) for single (3.1667) and married (3.0) nursing students. Conclusion: In our population, the nursing students’ desire to care for geriatric patients was lower than expected. It was similar in boys and girls and in single and married students. It was higher in older than younger age group.