Nursing Students' Perspectives on Professional Values in the Universities of Medical Sciences in Iran, 2011.

Abstract

Abstract: Introduction: Nursing practice is based on professional values. Evaluation of them from students' point of view can provide useful information for the development of more effective strategies for integration and application the professional values to clinical learning and practice. There is limited number of studies in this regard conducted in Iran. Therefore the aim of the present study is determine Iran's medical sciences universities' nursing students' perception of professional values. Methods: This analytical descriptive research was investigated the professional value of 439 B.sc nursing student in their last semester that were selected with stratified single –stage cluster sampling method. For data collection process, a two part questionnaire was used which included demographic variables and the nursing professional values scale –revised consisted of 5 dimensions (caring, activism, trust, professionalism and justice). Results: Nursing students' mean scores of the caring, activism, trust, professionalism, justice and overall dimensions on the five point Likert –type scale were 3.62, 3.26, 3.76, 3.49, 3.72 and 3.57 respectively, suggesting that the range as "fairly important "To important". The most important statements were "maintain confidentiality of patient", "maintain competency in area of practice" and "seek additional education to update knowledge and skills". Additionally, the students rated "participate in peer review", "participate in public policy decisions affecting distribution of resources", and "protect rights of participants in research" in the lowest important statements. Conclusion: Findings show that the least valued items are those groups of values that are related to nonclinical tasks. In order to promote comprehensively nursing professional values it is imperative to develop educational programs and strategies consistent with current conditions and facilities.