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Using Life Histories to Individualize Nursing Home Staff Attitudes Toward Residents

The GerontologistPublished 1 February 1991
M. E. Pietrukowicz, Mallory Johnson
Citations64
SJR quartileQ1
SJR score1.82
SNIP1.88

TL;DR

Controlling for individual differences such as prior work experience and knowledge about aging, staff reviewing the chart with the life history rated that resident as more instrumental, autonomous, and personally acceptable than staff who reviewed the chart without theLife history.

Abstract

This study assesses the impact of life histories on nursing home staff attitudes. Nurse's aides at two institutions answered questions about their experience and knowledge of aging, and rated nursing home residents on a semantic differential (attitude) scale. Aides received one of two versions of an anonymous resident's medical chart, identical except for the inclusion of a one-page life history. Controlling for individual differences such as prior work experience and knowledge about aging, staff reviewing the chart with the life history rated that resident as more instrumental, autonomous, and personally acceptable than staff who reviewed the chart without the life history.

Keywords

PsychologySocial SciencesHealth Professions