Assessment of Nursing Students' Attitude Toward Professionalism

Professionalism is one of the most important determinants of the competence of health care providers which builds trust between the medical staff and the patient and the community. Nursing is a profession based on ethical values due to its nature and if this aspect of the profession be neglected, the efficiency of nursing care for patients will be seriously compromised. The aim of this study is to investigate the status of nursing students' knowledge toward professionalism.
 

This is a cross-sectional study using a valid and reliable questionnaire to assessment the status of nursing students' knowledge toward professionalism in 2018-2019 at Tabriz Islamic Azad University. Sampling was done by census method (n = 270) and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean, Frequency, etc.) and inferential statistics including t test, one-way ANOVA and regression analysis.

A total of 215 nursing students participated in this study (79.6% response rate). The mean score of professionalism knowledge was 5.83 out of 10. The highest score was for the first semester students and the lowest for the fifth semester students. Regression analysis results revealed that students’ number of semester and their previous knowledge with professionalism had a significant and negative relation with professionalism knowledge mean score, controlling for confounding variables of age and gender.

The results showed that the mean score of the status of nursing students' knowledge toward professionalism was not in an acceptable level. Nursing students need continuous and effective educating on professionalism knowledge that they could treat with patients based on the principles of professionalism.