Thesis (Ed. D.)--Illinois State University, 2002. / Title from title page screen, viewed February 16, 2006. Dissertation Committee: Rodney P. Riegle (chair), Kenneth H. Strand, Donna A. Redding, Amelia D. Adkins. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-123) and abstract. Also available in print.

Thesis--University of Florida. / Description based on print version record. Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 86-91).

Thesis--University of Pittsburgh. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 52-56).

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Betsy Palmer. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 69-73).

This study examined the perceptions of nursing as a profession of students graduating from college-based nursing diploma programs. To answer the research question, the Concept of Nursing Scale designed and tested by Valiga (1982) was administered to 101 students in British Columbia Colleges approximately four weeks prior to graduation. Demographic data were also obtained. The responses were coded and scored by hand and the data entered into computer files. The statistical package used for analysis consisted of the SCSS Conversational System (Nie, et al., 1980). The concepts reflected in the Valiga Concept of Nursing Scale consist of: (a) boundaries of the profession, (b) recipient of the profession's service, (c) goals of the profession, (d) relationship of the profession to others, (e) independence of the practitioner, (f) responsibility of the practitioner, (g) scholarly component of the profession, (h) autonomy of the practitioner, (i) commitment of the practitioner, and (j) activities of the profession. Scores were high in the areas of definition, client, goals, and scholarship. These results indicated that: (a) the students surveyed had a clear definition of the scope of the profession, (b) they were able to identify the recipient of the profession's service and the goal of the profession, and (c) they recognized a scholarly component to the profession. The scores in the areas of independence and commitment were marginally lower than in the four areas mentioned above. These findings implied that the students graduating from college-based nursing diploma programs perceived nursing as functioning independently and that commitment was viewed as a characteristic of the nursing profession. Finally, the scores in the areas of autonomy, responsibility, relationships, and activities were low. These results indicated that the students surveyed perceived nursing as having minimal control over its practice and did not view the members of the profession as being responsible and accountable for their own actions. In addition, these students did not have a clear understanding of the nature of nursing's relationship with other members of the health care team and were uncertain as to the activities of the nurse. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

Nursing is essentially a practical discipline and as such, clinical practice plays an important part in the nursing curriculum. Clinical education is a vital component in the curricula of pre-registration nursing courses and provides student nurses with the opportunity to combine cognitive, psychomotor, and affective skills. Clinical field placement is an integral element in the overall pre-registration nursing program. Clinical practice enables the student to develop competencies in the application of knowledge, skills, and attitudes to clinical field situations. However, the time allocation for the clinical component of pre-registration nursing courses can be rather limited. It is, therefore, vital that the short but valuable clinical time be utilised effectively and productively.One of the objectives of this study was to develop and validate an instrument, the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI), to assess nursing students' perceptions of hospital learning environment during clinical practice. Data were collected from 138 second year nursing students in a major university school of nursing in South Australia. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The study confirmed the reliability and validity of the CLEI for use in the hospital learning environment.A second objective was to investigate associations of the CLEI with outcomes. Students' perceptions of the outcome of their clinical placement were found to be strongly associated with all five scales of the CLEI namely; Individualisation, Innovation, Involvement, Personalisation, and Task Orientation. The quantitative and qualitative findings reinforced each other. A third objective was to determine whether there were any differences in students' perceptions of the actual learning environment provided and that preferred by students. It was found that there were significant differences in ++ / students' perceptions of the actual clinical learning environment and their preferred clinical learning environment. Findings from the study suggested that students preferred a more positive and favourable clinical environment than they perceived as being actually present.

Thesis--Boston College. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 100-107).

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1942.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 25, 2010). "November 2008." Research paper (M.S.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. 63-68).