PREDICTORS AND SUBSEQUENT DECISIONS OF PHYSICAL THERAPY AND NURSING-STUDENTS TO WORK WITH GERIATRIC CLIENTS - AN APPLICATION OF THE THEORY OF REASONED ACTION

Background and Purpose. In this study, the theory-based model of Ajzen and Fishbein was used to identify factors that influence physical the rapist and registered nurse (RN) students' intentions toward working w ith elderly individuals. A follow-up identified actual job selection. Subjects. Accredited physical therapist and RN education programs in t he Northwest and California were surveyed. Two hundred one students re sponded; 176 survey questionnaires were usable. Methods. A survey inst rument was developed based an Ajzen and Fishbein's theory-based model to assess student intention to work with elderly individuals and facto rs influencing this intention. Graduates were later contacted to deter mine whether job selection matched intention. Results. For all student s factors influencing intention were student attitudes and student per ceptions regarding their families' expectations about the student work ing with elderly persons. Intention had a positive correlation with jo b selection. Conclusion and Discussion. Important underlying beliefs i nfluencing student attitudes, which could be emphasized in academia, i nclude the advantages of getting to know elderly patients and their fa milies and having pleasant patients to work with. Faculty are encourag ed to positively reinforce these beliefs throughout the curricula. Res ults of this study support using a theory-based model to identify pred ictors of job selection among physical therapist and RN graduates.