TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title page i
Approval
ii
Certification iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of contents v
List of table’s viii
List of appendices ix
Abstract x
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study 1
Statement
of the Problem 4
Purpose
of the Study 6
Objectives
of the Study 6
Research
Questions 6
Research
Hypotheses 7
Significance
of the Study 7
Scope
of the Study 8
Operational
Definition of Terms 9
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
Professional Values 12
Core
Values of Nursing
Hospital-
based Nursing Programme
University- based Nursing Programme 29
Factors
Influencing Acquisitions, Commitment and 32
Preservation
of Professional Values
Theoretical
Review
Empirical
Review
Summary
of Literature Review 52
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHOD
Research Design 53
Area of Study 53
Population of the Study 54
Sample of the Study 54
Inclusion Criteria 56
Sampling Procedure 56
Instrument for Data Collection 56
Validity of the Instrument 57
Reliability of the Instrument 58
Ethical Consideration 58
Procedure for Data Collection 59
Method of Data Analysis 60
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF RESULTS
Demographic Characteristics of Respondents 61
Test of Significance 69
Summary of Major Findings 85
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
Discussion of major findings 87
Implications of the study 96
Peculiarity and limitations of the study 96
Summary
Conclusion 97
Recommendations 98
Suggestions for further studies 99
References 100
Appendix 109
LIST OF TABLES
| Table |
Title | Page |
|
1 |
Demographic
characteristics of respondents.
|
62 |
|
2 |
Adjusted
mean scores and standard deviations of nursing students on professional
values.
|
63 |
|
4 |
Ten
(10) highest endorsed professional values by nursing students.
|
64 |
|
5 |
Ten
(10) lowest endorsed professional values by nursing students.
|
65 |
|
6 |
Adjusted
mean scores and standard deviations of female and male nursing students on
professional values.
|
66 |
|
8 |
Ten
(10) highest endorsed items by female and male nursing students.
|
67 |
|
9 |
Ten
(10) lowest endorsed items by female and male nursing students.
|
68 |
|
10 |
Table
means on professional values endorsed by female and male nursing students.
|
69 |
|
11 |
One-way
ANOVA for significant difference in professional values endorsed by nursing
students.
|
69 |
|
12 |
Adjusted
mean scores and standard deviations of hospital and university based nursing
students.
|
72 |
|
14 |
Ten
(10) highest endorsed items by hospital and university based students.
|
74 |
|
15 |
Ten
lowest endorsed items by hospital and university based students.
|
75 |
|
16 |
Table
mean scores on professional values endorsed by hospital and university based
students.
|
|
|
17 |
One-way
ANOVA for significant difference in professional values endorsed by hospital
and university based students.
|
76 |
|
18 |
Adjusted
mean scores and standard deviations of female and male hospital-based.
|
77 |
|
20 |
Ten
(10) highest endorsed items by female and male hospital-based students.
|
78 |
|
21 |
Ten
(10) lowest endorsed items by female and male hospital-based students.
|
79 |
|
22 |
Table
means on professional values endorsed by female and male hospital-based.
|
80 |
|
23 |
One-way
ANOVA for significant gender difference in professional values endorsed by
hospital-based students.
|
80 |
|
24 |
Adjusted
mean scores and standard deviations of female and male university-based
students.
|
81 |
|
26 |
Ten
(10) highest endorsed items by female and male university-based students.
|
82 |
|
27 |
Ten
(10) lowest endorsed items by female and male university-based students.
|
83 |
|
28 |
Table
mean scores on professional values endorsedby female and male
university-based students.
|
84 |
|
29 |
One-way
ANOVA for significant gender difference in professional values endorsed by
university-based students. |
84 |
LIST OF
FIGURES
Figure
1: Interaction effect of programme type and gender on professional
values endorsed by nursing students. 70
Figure 2: Interaction effect of
programme type and gender on professional
values
endorsed by nursing students. 71
LIST OF
APPENDICES
| Appendix |
Title |
Page |
|
1 |
Modified
Nurses Professional Value Scale (MNPVS) Questionnaire.
|
107 |
|
2 |
Informed
consent form.
|
108 |
|
3 |
Summary
of Cronbach’scoefficient alpha reliability test.
|
109 |
|
4 |
Nursing
students’ analysis/mean scores and standard deviations on the 50 items of
MNPVS.
|
113 |
|
5 |
Female
and male nursing students mean scores and standard deviations on the 50 items
of MNPVS.
|
114 |
|
6 |
Hospital
and university based nursing students mean scores and standard deviations on
the 50 items of MNPVS.
|
115 |
|
7 |
Female
and male hospital-based nursing students mean scores and standard deviations
on the 50 items of MNPVS.
|
117 |
|
8 |
Female
and male university based nursing students mean scores and standard
deviations on the 50 items of MNPVS |
119 |
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
Total
mean scores of programme type and gender differences in professional values
endorsed by nursing students.
|
121 |
|
10 |
Two-way
Univariate ANOVA of programme type and gender differences.
|
123 |
|
11 |
Mean
statistics interaction of programme type and gender on endorsed professional
values.
|
126 |
|
12 |
Letter
of introduction.
|
125 |
|
13 |
Ethical
clearance certificate.
|
126 |
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the study was to comparatively
assess the professional values endorsed by hospital and university based
nursing students. Descriptive survey was
adopted for the study. No sampling was done as all the subjects who met the
inclusion criteria, 233 nursing students were included in the study. Informed written
consent was obtained prior to the study. Modified nurses professional value
scale (MNPVS) was used for data collection after the facevalidity and
reliability were determined by experts. The reliability of the test instrument
was 0.87. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data.
The results were presented in tables as percentages, means and standard
deviations. One- way ANOVA was used to test scores according to the five core
nursing values at 0.05 levels of significance. Result showed that all the fifty
(50) item statements on the MNPVS were endorsed as professional values by
nursing students. No item was scored below 3 which is the critical scale
average score. The results of the scores ranged between 3.51- 4.48
(SD=1.19-0.76).It was also discovered that there is no significant difference
in the professional values endorsed by female and male nursing students,
F(1,231) =0.89, P>0.05. No significant difference was found between that of
hospital and university based nursing students, F(1,231) =0.54, P>0.05. The
result also showed no significant difference in professional values of female
and male hospital-based, F(1,103) =0.75, P>0.05. No significant difference
in that of female and male university based nursing students, F(1,126) =0.36,
P>0.05. However, there was significant interaction effect of programme type
and gender differences on professional values among nursing students
F(1,229)=0.16, P=.900. Based on the findings the following recommendations were
made. That though majority of nursing students highly endorsed the values of
nursing, a lot still need to be done to maintain the status as well as promote
high endorsement. Nurse educators should continue to teach code of ethics in
all nursing programmes. Nurse educators are to review what is taught to ensure
all aspects of nursing ethics are emphasized and that those items scoring lowest in the
MNPVS though still within the relevant range could be emphasized more to impart
their relevance. Purposeful mentoring with attention to professional values is
recommended for all nurses, nurse clinicians, nurse educators and nurse
administrators.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Background to the Study
Professional values are standards for
actions accepted by the practitioners and professional group that provide a
frame-work influencing the behavior of the group (Hayes, 2006). It reflects how
a group conduct themselves at work and how they relate to their patrons,
colleagues and members of the community. It implies service with honesty and
integrity, freedom of information and knowledge (Clark, 2009). Professional
values are demonstrated in personal nursing practices that have altruism as the
motivating force. This altruistic view is characterized by values such as
“commitment, generosity, perseverance, benevolence and sympathy” (Altun,
2002). Professional nurses take
responsibility for the conduct of their own activities; work to make policy
decisions that support professional nursing, and practice according to nursing
code of ethics (Joel and Kelly 2002). Despite gains in the process of
professionalism, nursing continues to struggle with some aspects of
professional status. To support the title of ‘profession ‘, nursing must embody
and enact a set of professional values that guides its members.
The educational preparation of the
registered nurse (RN) may make a difference in professional values. The two
nursing education programmes in Nigeria (hospital and university based) instill
in their students the understanding that they are professionals and members of
the profession of nursing. However the curricula of these programmes differ in
the extent to which professional values are emphasized, hospital-based
programme as a rule emphases psychomotor learning and technical skills
necessary to carry out basic nursing tasks and medically related functions and
provide experiences in basic bedside nursing. It provides value on substantial
clinical experiences. Baccalaureate nursing programme in addition to the
mentioned values also emphasize liberal education based on the humanities and
arts, philosophical and theoretical approaches and scholarship and include
basic to complex nursing skills (Kubsch, Hansen and Huyser –EatWell, 2008;
Clark, 2004). Baccalaureate students are provided with education that supports
the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) (2005) core nursing
values of human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism and social justice.
In practice, the professional nurse
fills a variety of roles, including health promoter and care provider, learner
and teacher, leader and manager, research consumer, political advocates,
colleague and collaborator (Blais, Hayes, Kozier, and Erb, 2006). In these
roles, the professional nurse assumes accountability and responsibility for
enacting the full scope of nursing within the legal and ethical boundaries of
the profession. However, each nurse professional values can influence the
extent to which and the way in which these rules are enacted. For example, in
the health promoter and care provider role, the professional nurse carries out
the entire nursing process holistically with individuals, families, and
communities (Blaiset al. 2006). If
the nurse does not value the concept of holism, the way the nursing process is
carried out will not likely be holistic. If the nurse does not value nursing’s
unique body of knowledge, the interventions used will most likely not emanate
from this.
Advances in technology and expanding
roles create complex ethical and moral dilemmas for nurses. If nursing is to
remain a player in the era of health care transitioning, the values espoused by
the professionals need to be brought to forefront of organizational decision
making. According to Shaw and Degazon (2008), nursing has become more focused
in the financial incentives, career opportunities and career stability, in
today’s modern fast-paced world. Nursing gets targeted by bad press suggesting
how patients are neglected by nurses, how they are being turned away from
health institutions by nurses and most importantly the poor nursing care given
by nurses (Schroeder, 2004; Sidumo, 2009). This gave rise to the importance of
setting good value basics in every nursing faculty.
However, despite the claim that
baccalaureate programme produces professional nurses and hospital-based
programme produces technical nurses in some countries as documented by American
Nurses Association (ANA), 2001). Kubsch, et al. (2008) in a qualitative study
on the use of independent therapeutic nursing interventions found out that, all
registered nurses regardless of educational preparation believe they are
professionals and members of the profession of nursing. However, do all nurses
practice as professionals? Are there differences in the endorsements of
professional values by hospital and university based nursing programme
students? What factors contribute to the observed differences? Therefore, it is
important to assess whether differences exist; since the value hold by an
individual may have an impact on the practice of nursing. Thus, the current study has been proposed to
determine whether differences exist in the endorsement of core values essential
for the professional nurses. It is believed that in view of the obtained
results, suggestions concerning teaching ethics and values in present day
nursing education shall be proposed.
Statement of the Problem
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PROFESSIONAL VALUES ENDORSED BY HOSPITAL AND UNIVERSITY BASED NURSING STUDENTS, SOUTH
