COGNITIVE STYLES AND LOCUS-OF-CONTROL OF ASSOCIATE DEGREE AND BACCALAUREATE DEGREE NURSING STUDENTS.
Contributors: Texas Tech University.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 184
Subjects: Education, Higher.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: A major debate among nursing leaders has been the question of whether level of education should be a consideration in determining eligibility for licensures as a registered nurse. The entry into practice dispute is focused on whether a baccalaureate degree in nursing should be the minimal educational preparation for eligibility to enter professional nursing practice, which is currently controlled by passing a licensing examination.

Since the American Nurses' Association published its 1965 position paper stating that the preparation for entry into professional nursing practice should be a baccalaureate degree in nursing (B.S.N.), and that the preparation for technical nursing practice should be an associate degree in nursing (A.D.N.), a great deal of research has been conducted to define the differences and similarities of the two groups.

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist in the cognitive styles and locus of control of students in selected baccalaureate degree and associate degree nursing programs. The population studied was all freshman and all senior nursing students from a B.S.N. program and an A.D.N. program in the state of Texas, resulting in a sample size of 131 B.S.N. students and 140 A.D.N. students. The students were given the Rotter Internal-External Locus of Control Scale (R.I.E.L.C.) to measure perception of personal control; the Kolb Learning Styles Inventory (L.S.I.) to assess cognitive style; and an author-designed demographic questionnaire. The hypotheses posed were: (1) the preferred cognitive style of B.S.N. students as measured by the L.S.I. will be more reflective observation and abstract conceptualization in comparison with A.D.N. students; (2) the preferred cognitive style of A.D.N. students as measured by the L.S.I. will be more concrete experience and active experimentation in comparison with B.S.N. students; and (3) B.S.N. students, in comparison with A.D.N. students, will reflect a more internal locus of control as measured by the R.I.E.L.C.

The results do not confirm these hypotheses. Results are discussed in terms of the demographic variables that may have influenced the findings. Implications for the nursing profession are discussed, and recommendations for further study are made.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-03, Section: A, page: 0441.

Thesis (ED.D.)--TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, 1987.

School code: 0230.