Abstract

This was a study of the religious behavior of the nurses who have graduated from a selected school of nursing. The purposes of the study were (1) to obtain information as to what the graduates of the selected school have been and are doing relative to their everyday religious behavior and practices, and (2) to ascertain to what extent, if any, this school of nursing has influenced the every-day religious behavior and practices of the graduates. Religious behavior was defined as that behavior which can be observed in public and private religious activities such as Bible study, prayer, church attendance and similar behavior of a religious nature.

The descriptive survey was chosen as the method of study. A questionnaire was sent to the graduates of the selected school for two year periods, 1945 through 1948 and 1953 through 1956. For control purposes questionnaires were also sent to the graduates of the same year of a tax-supported school of nursing which is similar in size and curriculum other than religious objectives and content.

Findings as to the influences of the school of nursing on religious behavior were based entirely upon statements made by the respondents. Because of limited time it was impossible to conduct a pre-test and post-test relative to religious behavior and practices of students upon entrance to the school of nursing and upon graduation.

Fifty-five per cent of the questionnaires were returned from the graduates of the selected school and forty-five per cent from the control school. Some nurses may have failed to return their questionnaires because of a lack of interested in a religious study.

The responses to the questionnaires were tabulated and analyzed. Comparisons were made between the responses of the graduates of the two schools. However, conclusions and recommendations were based on the findings from the study of graduates of the selected school.

Fifty-seven per cent of the graduates of the selected school felt they could make a positive statement that they were actually growing religiously. While 95 per cent said they believed religious instruction should begin in infancy, only about half felt the necessity of the continued religious atmosphere for their school-age children which is afforded in a church-sponsored school. Regular church attendance was reported by 91 per cent of respondents. Contributions of 10 per cent or more of their income to religious or charitable organizations by 89 per cent, daily prayer by 84 per cent, and family worship in the home by 76 per cent were among the findings reported. Nearly all the respondents felt that prayer with patients was helpful, and over 80 per cent stated they had had personal experiences which indicated patients appreciated it. Nearly three-fourths of the respondents believed their own philosophy of life had taken on a deeper meaning as a result of the educational experiences in the school of nursing, and 60 per cent felt they were continuing to make definite religious progress.

Recommendations were made for improving the religious content of the curriculum which it is hoped will strengthen the religious emphasis in the selected school of nursing.

LLU Discipline

Nursing

Department

Nursing

School

Graduate Studies

First Advisor

Winifred Edwards

Second Advisor

R. Maureen Maxwell

Third Advisor

Robert Woods

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Degree Level

M.S.

Year Degree Awarded

1958

Date (Title Page)

4-1958

Language

English

Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings

Ethics, Nursing; Education, Nursing; Religion and Medicine

Type

Thesis

Page Count

ix; 107

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

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