Ageism from the Perspectives of Diploma Program Nursing Students after an Aging Simulation: A Phenomenological Reflection

Ageism in the healthcare system creates a challenge for nurses and their patients. Knowledge is needed regarding sensory changes that occur with normal aging. This knowledge gap leads to stereotyping and missed opportunities for age-appropriate care. Nurses must recognize that hearing loss and naturally occurring vision changes can lead to poor outcomes and social isolation in older adults. In addition, caring for older adults becomes less desirable to nurses entering practice because of negative perceptions about older adults. However, nursing programs can address ageism by augmenting the curriculum with a geriatric sensitivity simulation. Through a series of exercises that simulate normal changes in hearing and vision, nursing students can evaluate ageism and their own ageist views. This qualitative research study explored the perceptions of ageism among nursing students in a diploma program after participating in an aging simulation through hermeneutic phenomenology. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the phenomenon of ageism in healthcare as perceived by diploma nursing students at a school of nursing in the northeastern region of the United States. David Kolb’s experiential learning theory (ELT) was used as the educational theory guiding student participation in a simulation to experience the sensory changes associated with the normal aging process. Jean Watson’s theory of human caring was the foundational nursing theory linking the study findings to caring science. Qualitative data collection methods used in this study were audio and visually recorded semi-structured interviews, photo elicitation, and a poetry prompt. Transcriptions were coded using Smith’s six steps to derive five themes. These themes included aging deficits, influence of older adults, what matters to older adults, recognizing stereotypes and ageism, and accepting aging.