FACTORS INFLUENCING ROLE CONCEPTION AND PERCEIVED AUTONOMY AMONG RN STUDENTS IN A BACCALAUREATE NURSING PROGRAM (NURSING EDUCATION).
Contributors: Widener University School Of Nursing.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 216
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Health.
Description: Perspective transformation was used as the theoretical framework for this exploratory study of factors influencing the professional socialization of RN students. Role conception and perceived autonomy were selected as constructs to represent professional socialization.

Subjects included 84 RN students enrolled in a leadership course in one baccalaureate nursing program. Role conception and perceived autonomy were measured upon enrollment into the course and upon completion. Selected demographic characteristics, including length and type of nursing experience, prior nursing education, and perception of support, were examined for the relationship among these variables and professional socialization scores. Professional socialization of practicing nurses (n = 65) serving as clinical role models was also investigated. The study analyzed differences between students' and role models' role conception and perceived autonomy.

The research hypothesis that students would exhibit differences in professional socialization after course completion was not supported. However, paired t-tests revealed that students did demonstrate changes in several subscales (p $<$.05). Role conceptions related to the ideal professional and ideal service components of nursing decreased, while the conception of actual professional practice increased. Students demonstrated higher perceived autonomy but lower perception of patients' rights.

Several demographic characteristics explained a significant but small portion of the variance in role conception and autonomy subscores. No predictors consistently influenced either role conception or autonomy subscale scores. Of the seven variables, staff nurse practice was the single best predictor, and accounted for significant variance in autonomy and patients' rights.

When compared with their clinical role models, students had higher ideal bureaucratic, but lower ideal professional conceptions. Role models' scores for autonomy and for rejection of traditional role limitations were higher than student scores.

Results from this study indicated that a course in leadership may not significantly influence professional socialization of RN students; however, certain components may be affected. Demographic characteristics did not appear to be strong predictors of professional socialization. Nurses selected as role models in this study differed from RN students in some aspects of professional socialization. The relatively low reliability of the instruments, when used with this sample, may have been a limitation in the study.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-09, Section: B, page: 4588.

Thesis (D.N.SC.)--WIDENER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF NURSING, 1992.

School code: 0969.