Exploring undergraduate elder abuse education in nursing: a scoping review

One in six adults aged 60 and older experiences abuse annually, revealing a prevalence rate of 15.7%. However, knowledge gaps persist regarding the integration of elder abuse education into nursing curricula. The purpose of this scoping review is to fill the gap in understanding how elder abuse is currently taught to undergraduate nursing students, what methods are employed, and what impact these methods have on students’ preparedness. A search across CINAHL, Google Scholar, Medline, and PubMed identified 10 relevant studies (2013-present) in English. These studies, encompassing 3,207 undergraduate nursing students, utilized diverse methodologies, focusing on undergraduate nursing education and elder abuse. Limited understanding of elder abuse among undergraduate nursing students is evident, primarily due to inadequate curriculum integration. Various teaching methods, including simulations and participative approaches, show promise in addressing this gap. This scoping review emphasizes the urgent need for enhanced elder abuse education in undergraduate nursing programs. The identified knowledge gap underscores the importance of active teaching methods, especially through simulation integration. Further research is essential to establish a robust evidence base in this critical area.