Abstract

It was the purpose of this study to investigate reasons for the choice of a first position by graduates from diploma programs in nursing. This included factors motivating the choice, the time of choice, and reasons for liking and disliking clinical areas. Questionnaires were mailed to 756 graduates of the class of 1961 from twenty-three representative schools. Approximately 46 percent were returned completed.

Major findings were as follows:

1. Reasons for choice of a first position rating a high percentage of total possible score on the rating scale were: to increase technical skill, 84.6 per cent; to continue learning, 81.6 per cent, to gain a wide variety of experience, 78.7 per cent, desire to work with a preferred type of patient, 70.1 per cent; opportunity to help people, 69.3 per cent felt ability in the area because of student experience, 69.3 per cent, to have time to understand patients, 62.5 per cent, and the prospect of pleasant people to work with, 62.0 per cent.

2. Fifty-four per cent of the respondents chose a first position in the clinical area they most preferred.

3. Reasons for choice were complex, involving both personal and situational factors.

4. Situational factors that resulted in variation of over 10 per cent in the importance of reason for choice were: the clinical area in which a nurse begins; the size of the school and the specific school from which she graduated; and the religious affiliation of the school from which she graduated.

5. Over three times (54 per cent) as many nurses made their choice of a beginning position during their senior year as at any other time. About 10 per cent chose before education, 20 per cent during the second year, and 15 per cent after graduation.

6. Different clinical areas offered different work satisfactions. Which satisfactions were most valued varied widely and often appeared to be the result of individual personality characteristics.

7. Experiences with significant people were mentioned over twice as many times as any other factor as a reason for liking clinical areas in general. Personnel in the area and instructors were the persons most often named. Other factors which caused nurses to like a clinical area were: successful students experiences; a congenial and cooperative atmosphere; opportunity for learning; a wide variety of conditions; opportunity to observe and give individualized patient care; and an efficiently organized nursing service.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate School

First Advisor

Lucile Lewis

Second Advisor

Mary C. Monteith

Third Advisor

Willis King

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1963

Date (Title Page)

6-1963

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Education, Nursing, Diploma Programs

Type

Thesis

Page Count

x; 159

Digital Format

PDF

Digital Publisher

Loma Linda University Libraries

Usage Rights

This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.

Collection

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Collection Website

http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/

Repository

Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives

Download

Share

COinS