ABSTRACT
Aims
To analyze nursing students’ perceptions of the aging process and ageism at a public institution.
Design
A descriptive qualitative study.
Methods
A total of 29 nursing students were recruited from March to June 2024. The interviews were recorded and lasted an average of 40 min, being analyzed using a text database consisting of a full transcript of the interviews. The text corpus was analyzed using the Interface de R pour les Analyses Multidimensionnelles de Textes et de Questionnaires 0.6 alpha 3 software, Brazilian version, which produced a dendrogram.
Results
The dendrogram showed six classes, based on the participants’ statements: Class 4—Aging: a natural and complex process; Class 3—Resignification and wisdom in old age; Class 5—Positive and negative perspectives on aging; Class 2—Prejudice towards the social role of women in caregiving; Class 1—Infantilization of elderly people; and Class 6—Ageism in daily life.
Conclusion
Encourage undergraduate students, during their training, to get closer to elderly people—either by increasing the number of classes covering current topics in the field of gerontology, seminars, or home visitations—consequently reducing the ageist aspects during their training as nurses.