Abstract

Introduction:The various problems presented by older people with vulnerability factors can besolved from a preventive approach through education that highlights the positive aspects ofaging, which are often minimized due to stereotypes and prejudices associated with age presentin society. and that influence the perception of old age and the elderly by professionals andfuture professionals who care for the elderly.Methodology:Descriptive within-subject study of repeated measures (before and after) toevaluate the impact of the Geriatric Nursing course on undergraduate Nursing students in 2019.The census-type sample was carried out based on the total number of students who werestudying the subject, 52 sixth-semester students in Mexico and 68 seventh-semester students inChile. Data collection was carried out in both countries at the beginning and end of the subject,through an instrument with sociodemographic questions and the CENVE Questionnaire tomeasure the level of stereotypes associated with old age presented by students.Descriptive and inferential statistics were used, the reliability test of the instrument was alsocarried out by means of Cronbach's Alpha. To carry out this research, the approval of the Ethicsand Research Commissions of the selected educational institutions in both countries wasobtained.Results:When comparing the results between Chile and Mexico, a descriptive difference wasobserved between Mexico (x=40.76) and Chile (x=34.62) in the evaluation at the beginning ofthe subject and in the post-intervention measurement, in Mexican students (x =41.04, SD=5.90)and Chileans (x=30.09; SD=7.05), the Mexican students presented“high negative stereotypes”and the Chilean students“low stereotypes”according to the cut-off points of the instrument.The two-way ANOVA test showed a statistically significant interaction between Nation/Time (F=6.439, p=.012), showing that Chile has greater positive effects in its course to reduce negativestereotypes in nursing students than Mexico.Conclusions:The positive effect of teaching the subject of Geriatric nursing in the training offuture nursing professionals was empirically verified, being an effective intervention to reducenegative stereotypes about aging, old age, and the elderly.