An Investigation Of Attitudes Towards Profession And Relative Factors In Nursing Students And Nurses

Objective To investigate the current situation of attitudes towards nursing professionand its correlated factors in students and nurses. Based on this study, some measures areraised to promote their active attitudes towards the occupation.Methods A self-developed questionnaire on general information and influencingfactors on the occupation and, a questionnaire on professional attitudes designed byProfessor Jiang Anli in the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai were appliedto survey 244 student nurses, from two nursing colleges in Shandong Province, at clinicalpractice, and 412 nurses from five hospitals in Qingdao. Data processing made usingChi-Square test, Nonparametric Test, T test, U test, one-Way ANOVA and multiplestepwise regression analysis done by SPSS Software, respectively.Results①For students, the score of professional attitudes was 4.96±1.14, whichindicated a neutral attitude with positive tendency towards nursing profession. The tenitems which were most highly rated were: not everyone was suitable for nursing job;long-term work in three shifts was harmful to one's health; common views of prejudiceaffected the formation of professional concept, and so on. A significant difference of theattitudes existed among them in terms of ideal selection (F=7.76, P＜0.01), vocationalinterest(F=19.124, P＜0.01)and clinical-practice satisfaction(F=8.701, P＜0.01).②Multiple regression analysis showed that the factors affecting the attitudes on studentnurses were: the attitudes of students of other disciplines towards nursing (β=0.260); thedemand of self-actualization(β=0.181); the attitudes of schoolmates(β=0.157);desire for knowledge(β=0.132); belongingness(β=0.123); selection of nursingprofession of one's free will (β=0.122); and the pressure of employment (β=-0.109).③The nurses' score of professional attitudes was 5.35±1.10, which indicated a relativelyneutral attitude with a positive tendency towards nursing profession. The items rankingthe first ten were: long-term three shifts was harmful to health, affecting family life; notanyone was fit for nursing job, the value of nursing job can hardly be measured by money,and so on. The difference of professional attitudes were significant among nurses indifferent departments (H=23.290, P＜0.01), different marital status (t=2.333, P＜0.05),came from different places (t=-2.280, P＜0.05), working lifetime (F=3.334, P＜0.05),different title(F=4.047, P＜0.05), employment relationship (t=-2.991, P＜0.01) andjob satisfaction(F=54.018, P＜0.01).④Multiple regression analysis showed that thefactors affecting the professional attitudes in nurses were: the demand ofself-actualization(β=0.269), academic career with baccalaureate degree(β=0.208), vocational interest(β=0.193), employment relationship(β=-0.128), academic careerwith associate degree(β=0.120), income satisfaction(β=0.089), interpersonalrelationship (β=0.105), patient's respect (β=0.101)and family's support (β=0.108)⑤The score got by student nurses was lower than that of nurses (u=-4.265, P＜0.01).Multiple regression analysis showed that the co-factor affecting the professional attitudeswas initial educational background(β=-0.172). There were also significant differences inthe choice of six items between nursing students and nurses (x~2=4.448～58.510,P＜0.05).Conclusion The overall professional attitude in nursing students and nurses isneutral with a positive tendency, but more negative attitude is seen in the students.Professional attitudes can be influenced by individual, factors especially that to meetdifferent-level requirements and social environment. Departments concerned should trytheir best to meet the needs of exist and development and to promote formation of a stableand active occupational attitudes in nursing students and nurses.