Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Award Date

1976

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department / School

Sociology and Rural Studies

First Advisor

Robert M. Dimit

Abstract

A study of graduating nursing students was conducted to determine: (1) the extent to which these students would be willing to accept specified role functions as characteristic of an expanded role for nurses; and (2) what factors are associated with and seem to explain the graduating nursing students' acceptance of these specified role functions as characteristic of an expanded role for nurses. An interview schedule was developed, pretested, and administered to students enrolled in their final year of study at one of the nine schools with state board approved programs for Registered Nurse licensure. The interview schedule included questions relating to selected sociodemographic characteristics of the student nurses, the extent of their exposure to and cognitive knowledge of the expanded role concept, and their perceptions of selected reference and membership groups acceptance of specific role functions characteristic of an expanded role for nurses. A reference group theoretical perspective was used for this study. A set of selected variables were examined to determine their association iii with the student nurse's degree of acceptance of specified role functions characteristic of an expanded role for nurses. Statistical tests utilized in the analysis-of data included analysis of variance, step-wise multiple regression and t-test of significance. The .05 level of significance was accepted for this study. The major conclusions were: 1. The specified role functions were generally accepted by students as being characteristic of an expanded role for nurses. 2. The acceptance by nursing students of role functions as characteristic of an expanded role for nurses was associated with: the type of program in which the student is enrolled; the students' knowledge of the Nurse Practice Act provision for an expanded role; the students' plans to continue education following graduation; the students' association with medical and pharmacy students; the students' plans to gain membership in the American Nurses' Association; the students' having received health care from a nurse functioning in an expanded role; sex of the student; the students' perceived classmate acceptance of specified role functions; type of preferred nursing position; and the students' perceived nursing instructor acceptance of specified role functions.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Nursing
Role playing

Format

application/pdf

Publisher

South Dakota State University

Included in

Sociology Commons

Share

COinS