CHANGING AGING MYTHS AND READINESS FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL EDUCATION IN FAMILY NURSE PRACTITIONER STUDENTS

Abstract

Abstract The preparation of Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) students caring for the older adult population is inadequate. The design was a quasi-experimental pilot study (N = 30) to assess change in myths about aging and readiness for interprofessional education (IPE) in FNP students near graduation. The Woolf Aging Quiz (WAQ) containing 24 true-false myths about older adults, and the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) containing 19 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale (high score indicates more readiness), were completed at baseline and post-intervention. The intervention consisted of 4-weeks of education on normal aging, agism, age friendly healthcare, and IPE using online weekly brief video presentations and peer discussion. Thirty FNP students, mean age 43.5 years, 80.6% (N = 25) female, 19.4% (N = 6) male. A paired t-test showed no significant pre-post difference in the WAQ (t = -1.388, p < .05). McNemar crosstab analysis of the WAQ items indicated 14 aging myths where students chose the wrong answer pre and post intervention. In addition, the RIPLS showed no significant change (t = .793, p < .05) from pre-intervention (mean = 35.87) to post-intervention (mean = 34.42). FNP students near graduation held strong ageist beliefs, reflected in the WAQ, and were unprepared for IPE. Both of these results were resistant to change. The data suggests that FNP programs need to address aging and IPE content earlier and provide students with exposure to older adults that addresses myths about aging affords both theoretical and practical opportunities for interprofessional learning.