The effects of a reminiscence education program on baccalaureate nursing students' cultural self-efficacy in caring for elders

The increase in our minority elder population has created a need to develop innovative programs that prepares students who are competent in gerontological nursing skills and sensitive to cultural differences. The purpose of this pilot study was to test the effects of a reminiscence education program on BSN students' cultural self-efficacy in caring for elders. An interrupted time series design with a nonequivalent, no-treatment control group was used with 64 nursing students recruited from a northeast university in the United States. The intervention consisted of a two-hour reminiscence education program and a 13 week period in which the experimental group implemented integrative reminiscence with elders during their community health practicum. The eldercare cultural self-efficacy scale was the outcome measure. Results indicated that students receiving the reminiscence education program demonstrated significantly higher levels of eldercare cultural self-efficacy F(1, 62)=5.34, p=0.024 than those not receiving the intervention. Reminiscence education programs implemented as part of clinical practicums may assist to increase nursing students' perceptions of confidence in caring for elders. Implications for nursing education and the care of diverse elders are discussed.