Knowledge and Practice Level of Nurses Towards Geriatric Care and Its Associated Factors in Selected Public Hospitals in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia 2022.

To determine the knowledge and practice level of nurses towards geriatric care and its associated factors in selected public hospitals in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia, in 2022. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in selected public hospitals, focusing on nurses working in adult nursing facilities. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was implemented to evaluate the knowledge and practice level of nurses in geriatric care. Based on the collective responses of the participants, the levels were categorized as either good or poor. A binary logistic regression model was utilized to evaluate the effects of independent variables on the outcome variables. Results: Overall, 57.2% and 45.3% of the study participants had good knowledge and practice levels in geriatric care, respectively. Educational level, years of experience, and participation in geriatric nursing education were significantly associated with nurses' knowledge of geriatric care. Nurses' knowledge level towards geriatric care and having training on geriatric care were significantly associated with nurses' level of practice of geriatric care. Conclusion: Considering the insufficient knowledge and practice of geriatric care among nurses, it is imperative for hospital administrators to offer frequent training opportunities and integrate essential geriatric care education into the nursing curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]