Determinants of the intention to work in aged care: a cross-sectional study to assess gerontological nursing competencies among undergraduate nursing students

Background There are huge demands for aged-care workers, and undergraduate gerontological nursing education plays a critical role in providing academic and professional training. Purpose To examine relationships of characteristics, aged-care education, and gerontological nursing competencies with the intention to work in aged care. Methods An online survey was distributed to undergraduate nursing students between April and June 2022 to gather characteristics, relevant aged-care education, gerontological nursing competencies, and intentions to work in aged care data. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to identify determinants of the intention to work in aged care. Results Students (n = 358) who were older ( p < 0.001) and who were married ( p < 0.001) had higher intentions to work in aged care. “Promoting mental health and psychological well-being”, “Providing evidence-based dementia care”, and “Enabling access to technology”, were also associated with positive intentions. Conclusions This study provides evidence on determinants of the intention to work in aged care, particularly gerontological nursing competencies.