title: Investigating pharmacy students' attitudes toward nursing facility patients after a geriatric rotation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate pharmacy students' attitudes toward nursing facility patients and nursing facilities after completing a geriatric rotation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional post-test 20-item survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  An academic institution and two nursing facilities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nursing facility patients and second-year Appalachian College of Pharmacy students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students in Early Pharmacy Practice Experience 2 geriatric course.
  
  
  METHODS
  Students' attitudes toward nursing facility patients and nursing facilities (14 items).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 138 students, 91.4% completed the survey following their geriatric rotation. Most students had positive attitudes toward nursing facility patients and nursing facilities on all 14 items. For example, students thought, "most older people are pleasant to be with" (mean = 3.88 ± 1.1). About 98% of students had adequate knowledge of geriatrics. Age, gender, marital status, and relationship with grandparents were not associated with students' attitudes (P ≯ 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacy students had positive attitudes toward elderly patients and nursing facilities and adequate knowledge of geriatrics after completing the geriatric rotation.
authors.affiliation: Appalachian College of Pharmacy, Oakwood, VA, USA. pgavaza@gmail.com
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gavaza
authors.forename: Ethan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005853:Geriatrics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes; D013339:Students, Pharmacy / Q000523:psychology*