Kuwaiti high school students' perceptions of nursing as a profession: implications for nursing education and practice

The shortage of nurses in Kuwait is attributed to low production of indigenous nurses, resignation and emigration of foreign nurses, and expansion of health care facilities. This study explored Kuwaiti high school students' perceptions of nursing as a profession, their sources of information about nursing, and factors that affected their choice of nursing as a future career. Questionnaires from 289 students attending seven all-female high schools in Kuwait were analyzed. The results revealed that all of the participants were knowledgeable about the functional aspects of the nursing profession, and 35% of them received this information through contact with nurses during hospital visits. However, only 19% indicated they might consider nursing as a future career. The implications of the study for nursing education and practice, and strategies to attract and retain indigenous high school graduates into nursing programs in Kuwait are discussed.     

Elder RNs: learning from their experiences

A grounded theory study of elderly registered nurses was conducted to explore perceptions about the nursing profession in light of the nursing shortage. The participants ranged in age from 65 to 90 and came from a variety of educational and nursing backgrounds. As they spoke of their perceptions, participants shared their personal stories regarding the reasons they went to nursing school, ways they feel they made a difference in others' lives because they were nurses, and their views as elderly patients of nursing today. Their narratives describe barriers to nursing education and nurses and patients in the 1920s through 1960s and the changes that have occurred in nursing and medicine.     

The impact of perceived medical dominance on the workplace satisfaction of Australian and British nurses

Current literature on the sociology of health views medical dominance as a structural feature of the health division of labour, and a body of literature has developed exploring the structural components contributing to the subordination of the allied health professions In this paper, nursing literature describing the nature and source of nurses' perceptions, complaints and dissatisfactions with their profession, and sociological analyses of the position of nurses within the structure of the health care delivery system, were employed to provide a framework for assessing the degree to which structural medical dominance of the nursing profession impinges on nurses' perceptions of dominance and how these perceptions affect nurses' workplace satisfaction A 69-item questionnaire covering aspects of doctor-nurse, doctor-patient, nurse-patient and nurse-hospital administration relationships was developed One-hundred and thirty-three Australian nurses and 108 British nurses completed the questionnaire, in which they ranked their own level of professional satisfaction and the level of satisfaction they perceived doctors to experience Results indicated that Australian and British nurses were not only dissatisfied with many aspects of then- work environment, such as their pay and working conditions, but also experienced dissatisfaction with their professional status while perceiving the medical profession to be highly satisfied British nurses were significantly more dissatisfied with their own profession and perceived the medical profession to be more authoritarian than did Australian nurses No difference between Australian and British nurses' perceptions of degree of medical autonomy was found The implications of nurses' perceived discrepancy in workplace satisfaction between nurses and doctors in the delivery of health care are discussed in terms of the structural barriers created by medical dominance Recommendations for the trainmg of nurses and the implications of the findings for nurse practitioners are made, together with suggestions for further research     

How clinical nurses in South Korea perceive the status of the nursing profession: A Q‐methodological approach

Professional self‐image among nurses is shaped by subjective perceptions, feelings, and tacit views. A perceived positive status reflects and influences the nurse's self‐esteem, professional empowerment, and nursing performance. The aim of this study was to examine the perceived status of the nursing profession among clinical nurses in South Korea. Q‐methodology was used with data collected from September to December 2014. Forty‐four Q statements were selected and scored by the 31 participants on a 9‐point scale with normal distribution. The data were analyzed using the pc‐QUANL program. Thirty‐one nurses were classified into 3 factors based on the following viewpoints: as professional (I am proud of my nursing job), subprofessional (I am not proud of my nursing job), and developmental (advocating for change and improvement). The major finding of this study included clinical nurses' subjective perception toward the status of nursing profession. The results indicated that to raise the status of nursing profession, nurses need to understand the value of nursing and their contribution to patients and public.     

Use of technological equipment in critical care units: nurses' perceptions in Greece

Aims and objectives. The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of nurses who work in critical care units about positive and negative effects related to the use of technological equipment and identify relationships between these perceptions and demographic characteristics of participants. Background. Previous researchers have investigated the perceptions of nursing personnel about the effects of technology on clinical practice. However, most of them focus on specific negative effects. Positive and negative effects have never been studied as a whole. Design. Critical care nurses were surveyed to elicit their perceptions regarding the use of technological equipment. The instrument comprised a 14‐item questionnaire and a series of demographic characteristics. A five‐point Likert scale was used for each of these 14 questions. Methods. The questionnaire was administered to 122 nurses working at the four critical care units of a major academic hospital in Patras, Greece, from 1/10/2003 to 31/12/2003. The completion of the questionnaires was achieved by means of a personal interview. Results. A total of 118 questionnaires were completed. The majority of nurses recognized the positive effects of equipment regarding patient care and clinical practice. At the same time, they agreed that use of equipment possibly leads to increased risk due to human errors or mechanical faults, increased stress and restricted autonomy of nursing personnel. Conclusions. The use of machines does not add to nursing prestige and this may be related to decreased autonomy. Human errors, mechanical faults and increased stress do not seem to come as a result of time constriction but rather of inadequate education. Undergraduate and continuing education should respond efficiently to the needs of contemporary critical care. Relevance to clinical practice. Recognition of positive and negative effects of machines through the investigation of perceptions of nurses is the first step before looking for ways of maximizing advantages and facing disadvantages of equipment use.     

Nursing work in Jordan: an example of nursing work in the Middle East

Aim. The study aimed to investigate Jordanian nurses’ perceptions of their role in clinical practice. Background. The lack of regulation of nursing practice by the profession across the Middle East until now has led to each institution setting its own policies regarding the role of the nurse and the practice of nursing. No study to date has examined the role of the nurse working in the acute hospital environment nor explored the practice of nursing in this region. Design and methods. A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was conducted using a quota sample. A total of 348 medical‐surgical staff nurses and practical nurses from the three healthcare sectors in Jordan participated in the study with a response rate of 77%. The results were analysed by constructing multiple response tables, chi‐square test, anova and log‐linear analysis. Results. Staff nurses in Jordan were expected to carry out the majority of nursing care activities. The role of the practical nurse was limited to the physical and professional domains of nursing care. Activities requiring higher levels of emotional or intellectual labour and interdisciplinary communication were attributed only to the staff nurse. The majority of the respondents reported nursing had not been their first choice of career. Male nurses had a higher intention to leave the nursing profession. The predominant method of care delivery used by nurses was task‐oriented. Conclusion. There was a general consensus regarding what constituted the nurse's work in the clinical area across the three healthcare sectors in Jordan. Role delineation between the two levels of nurses was also clear. There is a need to move from task‐oriented to patient‐centred care to promote quality patient care. Relevance to clinical practice. This study explores the role of the nurse working in the acute hospital environment in Jordan.     

Elder RNs' perspectives on nursing education: lessons learned

Nursing faculty are challenged with recruiting students and preparing graduates to practice in increasingly complex healthcare settings. The nursing shortage compounds the burden faced by faculty in meeting the needs of the profession. A grounded theory study that explores the perceptions of nurses aged 65 years and older regarding the state of the nursing profession in light of the shortage revealed many interesting aspects of "early" nursing education that are worth revisiting. The author describes the research and uses narrative data to describe what brought elder nurses into nursing, the positive and negative aspects of their education, and the lessons we can learn from their wisdom and experience.     

Nursing at its best: competent and caring

An award-winning journalist spoke to a group of students during their first month in a baccalaureate nursing program, challenging the nursing profession to abandon its image of nurses as angels and promote an image of nurses as competent professionals who are both knowledgeable and caring. This presentation elicited an unanticipated level of emotion, primarily anger, on the part of the students. This unexpected reaction prompted faculty to explore the students' motivations for entering the nursing profession and their perceptions of the relative importance of competence and caring in nursing. The authors begin this article by reviewing the literature related to motivations for selecting a profession and the contributions of competence and caring to nursing care. Next they describe their survey method and analysis and report their findings regarding student motivations and perceptions of competence and caring in nursing. Emerging themes for motivation reflected nursing values, especially altruism, and coincided with students' beliefs of self-efficacy and goal attainment. Student responses indicated their understanding of the need for competence and revealed idealistic perceptions of caring. The authors conclude with a discussion of these themes and recommendations for student recruitment, curricular emphasis, and future research in this area.     

Professional identity in nursing: A mixed method research study

Professional identity is developed through a self-understanding as a nurse along with experience in clinical practice and understanding of their role. Personal and professional factors can influence its development. A recent integrative literature review synthesised factors that influenced registered nurse’s perceptions of their professional identity into three categories of the self, the role and the context of nursing practice. This review recommended that further research was needed into professional identity and how factors and perceptions changed over time. The aims of this study were to explore registered nurses’ understanding of professional identity and establish if it changed over time. A mixed-methods study using a two-stage design with an on-line survey and focus groups was implemented with registered nurses who were studying nursing at a postgraduate level in Australia or Scotland. The reported influences on professional identity related to the nurse, the nursing role, patient care, the environment, the health care team and the perceptions of nursing. Professional development and time working in the profession were drivers of changes in thinking about nursing, their role and working context and their professional identity. Additionally, participants sought validation of their professional identity from others external to the profession.     

The image of critical care nursing: does it tell the whole story?

The nursing profession is presently at a crucial stage of its development in terms of the popular image it projects. There has been a tendency for nurses to emphasise their technical skills at the expense of the more psychosocial aspects of their role. Due to the highly technical nature of the working environment, critical care nurses are in particular danger of being viewed primarily in that technical light. This paper focuses on the image of critical care nursing held by undergraduate student nurses. The first stage of a longitudinal research project suggests critical care nursing to be a highly popular future career choice for students at the commencement of their course. Data analysis revealed that attraction to this area centred on the perceived emergency, life-saving and highly technical nature of the environment. There was very little emphasis on the more psychosocial aspects of the critical care nurse's role. The implications of this situation for the image of critical care nursing require serious consideration and intervention.     

From their own voices: the lived experience of African American registered nurses.

This phenomenological study described the lived experience of African American registered nurses providing nursing care to individuals, families, and communities in southeast Louisiana. Data were collected from 13 African American registered nurses using semistructured interviews and a focus group. Analysis of the phenomenological data revealed two essential themes, (a) connecting with the patient and (b) proving yourself; and four incidental themes, (a) a fulfilling dream, (b) being invisible and voiceless, (c) surviving and persevering, and (d) mentoring and role modeling. The findings revealed that the general perception among participants was that they were not fully accepted as equal professionals by their Caucasian nurse colleagues, other health care providers, and sometimes patients. The findings of the study indicate the immediate need to address and resolve the issues of diversity within the nursing profession. Nursing will also have to reform its system and practices to embrace and support diversity.     

Rediscovering nursing: a study of overseas nurses working in Western Australia

The shortage of nurses worldwide has taken its toll on the Australian healthcare system and, as a result, there is an increased migration of overseas-qualified nurses, some of them with a non-English-speaking background. Despite Australia's regulations that assess the eligibility for nursing registration, many migrant nurses who have been successful in gaining their nursing license feel only partially prepared to work. This article presents the findings of a study, based on Husserlian phenomenology, that describes the work experience of 13 female nurses who were working in Western Australia, Australia. The participants, who could recognize the core components of nursing, were taken aback by the way that nursing is practised in Western Australia. The major differences that they encountered were related to clinical skills, holistic care, the work dynamic with doctors and patients, and the overall societal status of the nursing profession. As a result, they had to adjust their practice to conform to the new work environment. In this study, the participants elaborated on some positive and some not-so-positive aspects of their experiences in their endeavor to integrate into the Western Australian metropolitan hospital setting.     

Stressors and rewards experienced by men in nursing: A qualitative study

This study explored men's experiences in nursing. A qualitative research design was utilized to examine (a) the stressors experienced by male nurses, (b) the strategies male nurses use to cope with these stressors, (c) the factors that motivate men to pursue a career in nursing and (d) what motivates men to remain in the profession. Six participants were conveniently and purposively selected from a range of nursing positions including cardiac, intensive care unit, theater, and general nursing to participate in semi‐structured interviews detailing their experiences. Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed that male nurses still experience gender role conflict, feelings of exclusion, and numerous other stressors working in a female‐dominated occupation. Despite these challenges, participants reported that they experienced a great sense of satisfaction in their nursing careers. Further development of educational programs aimed at challenging and breaking down the perceived social stigma regarding men entering the profession may assist in recruiting more men into nursing roles. At a broader policy level, the development of more effective strategies to prevent and manage stress may assist health care agencies to deliver more gender diverse care and retain more men in the profession.     

Work environment and workforce problems: a cross-sectional questionnaire survey of hospital nurses in Belgium

OBJECTIVES: This study investigated Belgian hospital nurses' perceptions on work environment and workforce issues, quality of care, job satisfaction and professional decision making. METHODS: All eligible nurses in a selection of 22 hospitals received the BELIMAGE questionnaire for a total of 13,958 potential respondents. Of these, 9941 returned study materials (response rate=71.2%) of which 9638 were valid and useable for statistical analysis (valid response rate=69.1%). RESULTS: The study identified several areas of tension in the nursing profession. The commitment to being competent providers of quality care was remarkably strong among the nurses, but they also perceived the barriers in the work environment to be multiple and complex. Concerns about the quality of leadership and management, insufficient staff, time demands and stressful work environment are experienced as obstacles in providing good nursing care. Four out of ten nurses (39.2%) would not choose nursing again as a career and more than half of the nurses (54.3%) have contemplated leaving the profession at some point in time. CONCLUSIONS: To effectively tackle the professional and workforce issues in nursing, investments should focus on redesigning a work environment that supports nurses in providing comprehensive professional care.     

The composition of the nursing profession in South Africa in the mid-seventies and its implications for provision of health care

An analysis of the composition of the nursing profession in South Africa reveals that the nurses were a heterogenous group with diverse dialects and cultures drawn from all social classes. Because of the unifying influence of the statutory control through the South African Nursing Council and the two official languages the nurses were organized into a strong and a stable profession. The predominant religion was Christianity, and the large majority of nurses were female, mainly young and married. The 116 189 member-strong profession was constituted by registered nurses, enrolled nurses, and nursing assistants. Although there was a variety of postbasic specialities for registered nurses there was still a good number of these nurses who were singly qualified, a certain portion who were doubly qualified and a minority who were triply qualified. A number of temporarily or permanently non-practising nurses constitute a reserve force to be relied on in a national emergency. This quantitative and qualitative state of the nursing profession had several implications for patient care. Some aspects reveal weak areas. The recommended remedial planning and re-organization arises from the obvious need and scope for improvement.     

Professional nurses' perceptions of the skills required to render comprehensive primary health care services

As multidisciplinary health team members, professional nurses play a vital role in the delivery of primary health care services. They require specific knowledge and skills to function effectively in the primary health care settings. In South Africa, however, professional nurses followed various training programmes. This has made it difficult for the professional nurses to be competent in rendering the full spectrum of comprehensive primary health care services, focussing on preventive, promotive, curative as well as rehabilitative care. In a setting where professional nurses have different qualifications it is possible that they do not recognise their own limitations. The research aimed to explore and describe the perceptions of professional nurses about the skills required and their own level of skills to render comprehensive primary health care services. A further aim of the research was to formulate guidelines for the facilitation of trained professional nurses to truly render quality comprehensive primary health care services, based on the findings. A qualitative design was followed. Participants were identified by means of purposive voluntary sampling and data was collected by utilising a semi-structured interview schedule. Twenty two participants were interviewed. After each interview field notes were written. Ethical aspects and confidentiality were taken into consideration. The researcher and a co-coder analysed the transcribed interviews by means of open coding. The findings indicated that the more comprehensively the professional nurses were trained, the more competent they felt. The less comprehensively trained, the more negative they experienced their work. They viewed their skills as ranging from adequate to inadequate, depending on their training. The conclusion was drawn that professional nurses' perceptions were congruent with the skills they possessed. Recommendations for nursing research, education and practice, including guidelines to facilitate trained professional nurses to truly render comprehensive primary health care, were formulated.