RELATIONSHIP OF ATTITUDE AND SUBJECTIVE NORMS TO INTENTION TO ATTEND NON-MANDATORY CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS AMONG REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL STAFF NURSES.
Contributors: Adelphi University.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 128
Subjects: Education, Adult and Continuing.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: This study investigated the relationship of attitude and subjective norms to intention to attend non-mandatory continuing education programs among registered professional staff nurses. Based on previous research on attendance, it was hypothesized that attitude would be positively correlated to intention, and subjective norms would be positively correlated to intention to attend continuing education programs. The theory of reasoned action was the theoretical framework used for this study. The theory of reasoned action utilizes the concepts of attitude, subjective norms, underlying behavioral and normative beliefs, and intention, to predict and understand behavior.

A preliminary study was conducted to elicit salient beliefs, referents, outcomes, and attitude about attending non-mandatory continuing education programs. A pilot study of the questionnaire determined an alpha of.89 of the modified tool. The modified questionnaire and a demographic sheet was used for data collection.

Seventy-seven registered nurses employed full time in a tertiary care hospital were the participants in this study. The nurses worked the 12 hour day shift on medical-surgical, pediatric, or intensive care units.

Attitude was found to be positively correlated to intention, accounting for 38.4% of the variance in intention to attend. In this study, subjective norms, were not determined to be an influencing factor on intention.

These findings suggest that the registered nurses in this study intended to attend when they believe that attending will lead to a positive outcome and they have a favorable attitude toward attending non-mandatory continuing education programs.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-04, Section: A, page: 0833.

Thesis (PH.D.)--ADELPHI UNIVERSITY, 1993.

School code: 0001.