Conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care: associate versus baccalaureate degree prepared nurses

摘要

The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between types of entry‐level preparatory nursing programmes in which a nurse receives basic nursing education and conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between entry‐level basic preparatory nursing education and nursing leadership, the ability to make nursing diagnosis, and implementation, as well as evaluation of the nursing process Three nursing practice categories were identified and included professional, all‐nurse and technical Useable data collected by short‐essay questionnaire from 343 out of 344 sample subjects were computed to determine the relationship, if any, between basic preparatory nursing education and conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care Decisions about three null hypotheses were made at the 0 05 level of significance utilizing analysis of covanance and the 0 01 level of significance utilizing chi‐square analysis For Hypothesis 1, the main effect for degree work when covaned with Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, Quantitative Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, time and age indicated a significance of 0 001 for all item associations in the professional, all‐nurse and technical categories utilizing analysis of covanance, and 0 001 utilizing chi‐square analysis For Hypotheses 2 and 3, the main effect for degree work when covaned with the aforementioned variables indicated a significance of 0 001 utilizing analysis of covanance, and 0 001 utilizing chi‐square analysis In conclusion, the findings from the study suggest that graduates of baccalaureate degree programmes do vary in conceptual and theoretical approach to nursing care in specific nursing care situations Further, there is a significant relationship between the level of basic educational preparation and the degree and proficiency of leadership demonstrated by a nurse in specifie nursing care situations, particularly when uncontrolled variables have been controlled Moreover, there is a significant relationship between educational preparation and degree of proficiency to which the nurse makes nursing diagnosis, executes and implements the nursing process, and evaluates the effects of nursin