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- Title
Factors Influencing the Verification of Expectations of the Choice of the Nursing Profession.
- Authors
Dimitriadou-Panteka, Alexandra; Lavdaniti, Maria; Konstadinidou-Straukou, Anna; Triaridis, Athanassios; Sapountzi-Krepia, Despina
- Abstract
The nursing profession is described as being particularly demanding, difficult and stressful, and there is a disharmony between the expectations that nurses have of their profession and the perceptions that they acquire during their nursing practice. Aim. Investigation of the level of verification of expectations of nursing personnel from the practice of their profession and determination of factors that influence it. Method. The study sample was a convenience sample of nurses (RNS) and assistant nurses (ANS) working in three hospitals in Thessaloniki and one provincial hospital in the region of Macedonia. Data were collected during the first six months of 2006, using a special self-completed questionnaire designed by the researchers. RNS and ANS in the sample were informed of the purpose of the study and invited to complete the questionnaire anonymously. The response rate was 65%, giving a final study sample of 342. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests were used for the statistical analysis. Results. In almost half of sample (184, 53.8%,) the expectations of the practice of nursing profession were not confirmed in practice. The level of verification of expectations from the profession was influenced to a significant degree by: nursing being the first choice of study (r= -0.21, p<0.001), practice of the profession (r= -0.43, p<0.001), age (r= -0.16, p=0.003), position in the work team, (r= 0.18, p<0.001), shift work (r= -0.18, p<0.001), and involvement in union activities (r= -0.17, p=0.002). Other important factors related to the degree of verification of their professional expectations were the state of the building in which they worked (r= -0.13, p=0.015), the supplies and technical infrastructure (r= -0.29, p<0.001), the staffing of the hospital (r= 0.24, p<0.001), and issues related to the management of nursing personnel by the administrative services and the leadership of the nursing services. Recognition of personal achievements and meritocracy in the choice of head-nurses, the level of wages of nursing professionals and ambiguity concerning the duties and the competences included in the nursing role were other factors influencing the perceptions of the respondents. Conclusions. Nursing continues to be an unpopular profession. The working conditions and the general framework of practice of the profession contribute to the feelings of frustration and disappointment experienced by RNS and ANS in this study. Further investigation of the reasons for lack of fulfilment of professional expectations, which may affect the output of nurses and the cost of patient care, should be the subject of future research, with the aim of finding solutions.
- Subjects
THESSALONIKE (Greece); MACEDONIA (Greece); GREECE; NURSING; MEDICINE; SICK people; MEDICAL care; MEDICAL care costs; MEDICAL economics; NURSES; MEDICAL personnel
- Publication
Nosileftiki, 2009, Vol 48, Issue 2, p228
- ISSN
1105-6843
- Publication type
Article