Abstract:

Background:
Nursing represents the most substantial professional cohort within the healthcare sector, constituting approximately 59% of healthcare professionals globally. nurses are pivotal in enhancing healthcare services, spearheading patient care, and serving as innovators and catalysts for change. It is imperative that nursing education undergoes evolution and adaptation in response to emerging trends, including the augmented demand for healthcare services attributable to an aging populace, technological progression, proliferation of infectious diseases, and the necessity for accessible and cost-effective treatment. Governments globally have undertaken initiatives to ameliorate healthcare services through the enhancement of nursing education quality. The quintessential challenge for nursing higher education institutions worldwide resides in devising adaptive undergraduate curricula and experiential learning opportunities that address healthcare exigencies, with critical emphases on technological advancements, patient-centricity, and the proliferation of data volumes.

Objectives:
The aim of this research is to provide an overview of how age influences nurses' opinions regarding their education, examining if and how perspectives vary across different age groups.

Methods:
In the present study, a positivist methodological framework was employed, underpinned by a quantitative research design. Data acquisition was executed via an electronic survey instrument. Subsequent data analysis was conducted employing descriptive statistical techniques, utilizing IBM SPSS Statistics 22.0 software.

Results:
The study population comprised of nursing professionals employed in wards of hospitals, which are integrated into the hospital network development plan, each with a minimum of one year of clinical nursing experience. A cumulative total of 171 nursing practitioners responded to the survey, aimed at evaluating their educational and practical experiences.
Variations among age cohorts could be attributed to the temporal evolution of curricula and teaching methodologies, as well as disparate expectations and values associated with the education of healthcare professionals.
Across all age groups, the absence of discussions and critical debates during lectures appears to be an area where nursing professionals would like to see improvements. There is also a low rating across all age groups for rote learning and authoritative attitudes of teachers during the learning process.
In conclusion, current methods in nursing education may neglect some aspects, and nursing professionals of different generations foresee various improvements. Higher-rated areas indicate robust aspects of current nursing education, while lower ratings identify potential areas for curriculum and teaching method enhancements.

References:
[1] Anderson, V.L., Johnston, A.N.B., Massey, D., Bamford-Wade, A., 2018. Impact of MAGNET hospital designation on nursing culture: an integrative review. Contemporary Nurse 54 (4-5), 483-510. https://doi.org/10.1080/10376178.2018.1507677
[2] WHO, 2016. Global strategy on human resources for health: workforce 2030. WHO. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/250368/9789241511131-eng.pdf
[3] Felton, A., Royal, J., 2015. Skills for nursing practice: Development of clinical skills in pre-registration nurse education. Nurse Education in Practice 15 (1), 38-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2014.11.009

Keywords:

Nursing, professional education, age, healthcare services.