IVORY TOWER OR TRENCH? A Q STUDY OF LEGAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR GRADUATE NURSES.
Contributors: Florida Atlantic University.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 329
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Health Sciences, Education.
Description: The Weidman and Stein (1990) professional socialization conceptual framework provided the organizing structure for a Q-methodological study about the perceptions held by professional nursing program faculty and nursing employers regarding required legal knowledge and skills for graduate nurses. The purpose of this study was to identify common viewpoints from these socializing agents about a nursing program socialization outcome of legal knowledge and skills. "What major patterns of perception, if any, can be identified from nursing faculty and nursing employers regarding legal knowledge and skills?" was the research question guiding the study.

An investigator-constructed Q sample of 60 statements was based on a literature review, Model Curriculum of Legal Content in Nursing Education (The American Association of Nurse Attorneys, 1992) document, and pilot study results. The Q-sample statements were administered during 1993 to a total of 60 subjects from four counties in southeastern Florida. The P set consisted of 20 associate degree nursing (A.D.N.) faculty, 20 bachelor of science in nursing (B.S.N.) degree faculty, and 20 hospital-based nursing employers responsible for hiring or supervising graduate nurses. The Q-sample statements were sorted according to a 11-point most-agree/most-disagree distribution continuum.

Correlation and factor analysis were performed with SPSS-X version 4.1 (SPSS, 1990) and QMethod (Atkinson, 1992) VAX/VMS statistical packages. The selected factor solution was the two-factor, principal axes factoring with varimax rotation.

The ivory tower factor represented an educational view of the graduate nurses' legal knowledge and skills ability by persons involved with the academic side of nursing (nursing faculty). This factor articulated the strong belief, support, and positive regard for graduate nurses' legal knowledge and skills ability.

The trench factor signified a performance-based view of the graduate nurses' legal knowledge and skills comprehension from individuals associated with the practice realm of nursing (nursing employers). This factor placed a dismal level of confidence in graduate nurses' legal knowledge and skills ability and detected deficits in nursing curricula.

This research corroborates the perceived nursing theory/practice gap. Implications and recommendations were generated for nursing theory, education, and practice.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-04, Section: B, page: 1377.

Thesis (ED.D.)--FLORIDA ATLANTIC UNIVERSITY, 1994.

School code: 0119.