CONGRUENCY OF NONCOGNITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF NURSE ANESTHESIA STUDENTS, CRNA ANESTHESIA PRACTITIONERS, AND FACULTY PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS.
Contributors: New Mexico State University.
Published: 1990
Number of pages: 118
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Education.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine if congruency of noncognitive characteristics exists among first-year nurse anesthesia students, CRNA anesthesia practitioners, and faculty perception of what characteristics first-year nurse anesthesia students should possess. These data and perceptions were compared and contrasted with findings documented in the literature germane to the study's purpose.

Sample groups of students (N = 58) and practitioners (N = 100) were asked to complete survey instruments consisting of demographic sheets, Cattell's 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF), Rotter Internal-External Control Scale (I-E Scale), and Survey of Personal Values (SPV). A sample group of faculty (N = 98) were asked to complete a Faculty Survey which consisted of the scoring scales of the 16 PF, I-E Scale, and SPV. Return rates were 52% for students, 46% for practitioners, and 49% for faculty.

The results are summarized in the following conclusions: (1) The student and practitioner groups were highly congruent. This would seem to indicate that procedures employed by the educational programs are attracting and selecting students that possess characteristics very similar to practitioners in the field. (2) The practitioner group did not score as high as expected on some of the characteristics, especially in the area of personal values. (3) The faculty perception of what a first-year student should be like differed significantly from both the student and practitioner groups. Some of the differences were in direction of response and some were in degree of ranking in the same direction. (4) The faculty perception presented a profile which is consistent with the attributes felt to be desirable in anesthesia practitioners by previous authors.

Additional research was recommended in the following areas: (1) A study of characteristics of CRNA practitioners with a larger sample size. (2) A longitudinal study of characteristics of individuals from time of selection to a nurse anesthesia educational program through their training and practice years. (3) Replication of present study involving other health care specialties. (4) A comparison of characteristics of nurse anesthesia faculty members with faculty perception of students.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-02, Section: A, page: 0414.

Thesis (ED.D.)--NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY, 1990.

School code: 0143.