Comparative Analysis Of Professional Values Endorsed By Hospital And University Based Nursing Students, South East, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to comparatively assess the professional values endorsed by

hospital and university based nursing students. Descriptive survey was adopted for the study. No

sampling was done as all the subjects who met the inclusion criteria, 233 nursing students were

included in the study. Informed written consent was obtained prior to the study. Modified nurses

professional value scale (MNPVS) was used for data collection after the facevalidity and

reliability were determined by experts. The reliability of the test instrument was 0.87.

Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. The results were presented in

tables as percentages, means and standard deviations. One- way ANOVA was used to test scores

according to the five core nursing values at 0.05 levels of significance. Result showed that all the

fifty (50) item statements on the MNPVS were endorsed as professional values by nursing

students. No item was scored below 3 which is the critical scale average score. The results of the

scores ranged between 3.51- 4.48 (SD=1.19-0.76).It was also discovered that there is no

significant difference in the professional values endorsed by female and male nursing students,

F(1,231) =0.89, P>0.05. No significant difference was found between that of hospital and

university based nursing students, F(1,231) =0.54, P>0.05. The result also showed no significant

difference in professional values of female and male hospital-based, F(1,103) =0.75, P>0.05. No

significant difference in that of female and male university based nursing students, F(1,126)

=0.36, P>0.05. However, there was significant interaction effect of programme type and gender

differences on professional values among nursing students F(1,229)=0.16, P=.900. Based on the

findings the following recommendations were made. That though majority of nursing students

highly endorsed the values of nursing, a lot still need to be done to maintain the status as well as

promote high endorsement. Nurse educators should continue to teach code of ethics in all

nursing programmes. Nurse educators are to review what is taught to ensure all aspects of

nursing ethics are emphasized and that those items scoring lowest in the MNPVS though still

within the relevant range could be emphasized more to impart their relevance. Purposeful

mentoring with attention to professional values is recommended for all nurses, nurse clinicians,

nurse educators and nurse administrators.