Abstract

This study examines the validity for applying nurses of the Dialogue Preference scale for elderly people created from data on nursing students in Japan. The design was a forward-looking quantitative questionnairebased study. Data collection was conducted at hospitals and seminars in Japan. Participants were nurses (n = 186; males: 2.7%; females: 97.3%) and nursing students [n = 552; males: 2.0% (38.4 ± 10.3 years); females: 98.0% (22.9 ± 4.9 years)]. Nursing student data from a study with the same questionnaire were obtained retrospectively. Data were gathered using the 15-item Shimizu Scale, which measures attributes and four subconcepts (bewilderment, anxiety, cognitive bias, and communication difficulty). Higher scores indicate more negative cognitions or attitudes (maximum score: 28). Data were descriptively analyzed using t-tests and secondary factor analysis of confirmatory factors. The responses of nurses were compared with the previously collected responses of nursing students who differed from nurses in their experience and knowledge. Nurses’ total scores (mean: 3.94) were significantly lower than the nursing students’ scores (mean: 4.4), indicating that nurses had a more positive view of communication with older people than nursing students. Moreover, a significant difference in the anxiety scores was observed between nurses with <1 year of experience and those with more experience. Experienced nurses had a more positive attitude regarding communication with older people compared with nursing students. Since this result instructed the current research results, the Shimizu Scale is appropriate for nurses.