AMERICAN AND CANADIAN NURSES' BELIEFS AND PERCEPTIONS OF HEALTH CARE DELIVERY IN A FREE ENTERPRISE SYSTEM (UNITED STATES) AND A NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE SYSTEM (CANADA).
Contributors: University of Toledo.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 281
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Education.
Description: Five hundred and ten registered nurses (261 Canadian nurses and 249 American nurses) were surveyed to determine their beliefs and perceptions of health care and health care delivery in the United States and Canada. The sample consisted of predominantly white females, 31 to 50 years of age. Both populations had knowledge deficits of the alternate system, 72 percent of the American nurses reported they had limited or no knowledge of the Canadian system and 43 percent of the Canadian nurses reported little or no knowledge of the American system. Significant differences were demonstrated in sources of knowledge for the two groups studied. Significantly more Canadian than American nurses obtained knowledge from nursing journals, professional organizations, medical journals, nursing colleagues, members of the medical profession, family members, and friends/acquaintances. A significantly larger number of Canadian nurses believed that society has an ethical responsibility to ensure health care for all and that health care problems in the United States could be helped by adopting a national health insurance program like Canada.

American nurses beliefs and perceptions were analyzed controlling for demographic and background variables. It was found that no significant differences existed between groups of American nurses on the basis of nursing specialty, number of years in practice, nursing practice area (hospital versus non-hospital), present position in nursing (management versus non-management), socioeconomic status of patient population served, and size of practice community. Variables that were significant included: geographic area of residence, basic education level, and agreement/disagreement with national health insurance for the United States. This last variable demonstrated the largest number of significantly different items.

Of great interest is the large percentage of "not sure" responses seen on each perception item. American nurses checked this response an average of 51 percent for each item (range 37% to 67%). This appears to validate a general lack of knowledge of American nurses about the Canadian health care system.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-02, Section: B, page: 0745.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO, 1992.

School code: 0232.