Nursing education programs were interrupted and largely moved online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese nursing students’ perspectives on online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether changes in teaching models have affected their intention to join the nursing workforce. A multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted. Nursing students at universities and those at 5-year junior colleges were recruited to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey. A total of 687 students responded to the questionnaire. The results were analyzed using percentages, mean ranks, and nonparametric methods. The results showed that 78.6% of the students agreed that online teaching was more flexible; most students stated that technical problems with computer equipment and stability of the network were large challenges that impeded online teaching. Furthermore, up to 64.8% of the students considered that online courses had affected their preparations for future nursing jobs, especially in terms of a lack of proficiency in nursing skills and inadequacy in actual interactions with patients. Online teaching is a powerful tool for nursing education, but a thoughtful strategy and more proactive approach are necessary to overcome the existing challenges for online teaching.

Background: With the rapid increase in the aging population, a greater number of older individuals will require nursing care in the future. Therefore, it is important for nurses to be willing to engage in gerontological nursing. Nursing students must increase their experience in providing care to older people during their education and must receive education that improves their attitudes toward aging; this will help provide care to the older people, develop positive attitudes toward aging, and increase their empathy and willingness to provide care to older people after graduation. Hence, studies focused on improving the attitude of nursing students toward aging are urgently required. Methods: In this mixed-method experimental study, participants were interviewed individually and observed to better understand the connection between quantitative and qualitative data. Service learning and learning portfolio constructions were integrated in the gerontological nursing curriculum of an experimental group, whereas traditional gerontological nursing curriculum was provided to a control group. Quantitative data on the nursing students were collected using the attitudes toward aging scale (ATAS) and older people behavioral intention scale (OBIS) and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Result: From the pre- to the post-test, the average ATAS and OBIS scores of the experimental group increased significantly, reaching a statistically significant level. However, the results of the control group indicated that the educational intervention does affect the attitudes toward aging and older people behaviors. A qualitative analysis revealed that educational intervention can improve the students’ attitudes toward aging and older people behavioral intention. Conclusion: Our study results showed that integrating community older people service and learning portfolio construction into the curriculum can effectively improve the attitudes of nursing students toward aging and older people’s behaviors, thus providing substantial assistance to students intending to care for the older people in the future.

With the increasing aging population, fostering a positive attitude toward aging is essential for enhancing psychological well-being and successful aging. Negative perceptions of aging, influenced by stereotypes and social biases, can impact self-identity and mental health. Life story group interventions provide a platform for older adults to reflect on life experiences, challenge aging myths, and strengthen social engagement. This study examined the effectiveness of a life story group intervention in improving older adults’ attitudes toward aging. This study employed a mixed-methods design. A total of 108 participants (54 per group) were recruited from two randomly selected communities in Taiwan that were assigned to either the experimental or control group by lottery. The experimental group participated in an eight-week life story intervention, while the control group received no intervention. Quantitative data were collected using the Taiwan Attitude toward Aging Questionnaire and analyzed using paired t-tests and ANCOVA. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically to explore participants’ experiences. After eight weeks, the experimental group showed a significant increase in attitude toward aging scores (t = 31.14, p = 0.001), whereas the control group showed no significant change (t = 1.99, p = 0.06). ANCOVA results confirmed a significant difference between groups (F = 817.56, p < 0.001). Qualitative analysis revealed three key themes: “Finding a new normal amidst loss,” “Dispelling myths and redefining self-worth,” and “A wonderful life that continues to bloom.” Participants reported a shift from viewing aging as decline to embracing adaptation and growth, alongside increased motivation for social participation. The life story group intervention significantly improved older adults’ attitudes toward aging, supporting its use as a psychosocial intervention. Encouraging participation in narrative-based interventions may promote active engagement, self-identity, and resilience. Not applicable.

A scarcity in the intake of dairy products in older women begets a wide range of musculoskeletal problems, especially osteoporosis. However, dairy products are often not consumed in sufficient quantities in Eastern societies. This study used empowerment education to improve daily dairy intake in 68 older Asian women in the community through a quasi-experimental study design. The 34 participants in the experimental group took part in empowerment education programs that included lectures, sharing sessions, situation dramas, and cooking activities, for two hours per week for 6 weeks. The 34 participants in the control group had no interventions. The generalized estimating equation was used to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness. The test was conducted for the two groups at 1 and 12 weeks after the completion of the lessons. We used daily dairy intake self-efficacy, intention, and behavior scale to measure the outcome. The change in the experimental group’s daily dairy intake self-efficacy and intention score at post-1 week and post-12 weeks was higher compared to the control group, but the dairy intake behavior was only changed at post-12 weeks. The empowerment education was effective in encouraging older women to change their dairy intake behavior and improved their dairy intake self-efficacy and intentions.