Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify factors promoting or impeding pre-registration degree level education at the first School of Nursing in Scotland offering transfer from diploma to degree programmes.
A questionnaire was used to collect data from third year student nurses (adult branch). This included an "attitude towards obtaining a degree" scale, developed using psychometric techniques to maximise reliability and validity.
Attitudes were generally positive. The majority of participants believed obtaining a degree would help nurses develop their career and increase their professional status. However, the majority disagreed with views that obtaining a degree was essential to be a good nurse, would make nurses better at their jobs and would improve patient care provided by nurses. Only 25% believed obtaining a degree ought to be essential for all student nurses.
Twenty-nine participants did not accept transfer to a degree programme. Of these, four-fifths reported this was due to the combined pressures of academic workload, family and work. None of these participants believed that obtaining a degree would make nurses better at their jobs.
A theory-practice divide seemed to exist whereby many participants did not relate increased degree knowledge to improved clinical practice.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 145-154 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Nurse Education Today |
| Volume | 27 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Feb 2007 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Attitude of Health Personnel
- Career Choice
- Career Mobility
- Decision Making
- Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate
- Education, Professional, Retraining
- Employment
- Family
- Female
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
- Humans
- Licensure, Nursing
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Motivation
- Nursing Education Research
- Nursing Methodology Research
- Nursing Theory
- Professional Competence
- Scotland
- Students, Nursing
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Workload
- Journal Article