Staff nurses’ attitudes toward nursing students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine staff nurses' attitudes toward nursing students and to examine the differences in attitudes at different hospitals. Associations between age, nursing experience, and professional preparation, and attitudes toward nursing students were explored. A review of the literature was very limited on related topics of staff nurses' attitudes toward nursing students. The study was related to Peplau's Interpersonal Relations in Nursing. The model devised by Peplau stresses the relationship between the client, who in this study is a nursing student, and the nurse. The relationship environment is based on trust, respect and empathy. A descriptive exploratory design was chosen for the present study. A convenience sample of 54 staff nurses employed in two hospitals located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland was selected. Both hospitals offer a wide variety of services to the communities. A self-administered questionnaire and a demographic tool designed by the researcher were used to collect data. Attitudes were measured using a five point Likert scale with no midpoint. A plan for data collection was developed with the assistance of the nurse managers on the medical-surgical units and approved by the Human Volunteers Committee of Salisbury state University, Salisbury, Maryland.