PERCEPTION OF THE NURSING PROFESSION AMONG STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SPLIT

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of the nursing profession among the students at the University of Split.

Methods: The study was conducted at 5 institutions of the University of Split: University department of health studies, School of medicine, Faculty of Law, Faculty of maritime studies, and Catholic Faculty of Theology, and included 516 students. The questionnaire was completed anonymously and online via Google Forms from November 2020 to March 2021.

Results: The results of this study show that the Croatian version of the revised questionnaire with 16 statements about the Perception about the image of the nursing profession has acceptable measurement properties. The analysis of internal consistency on the entire questionnaire (Cronbach’s α=0.85) showed that the selected statements are suitable for determining the overall level of perception of the nursing profession. Attitudes toward the nursing profession differed significantly among the 5 faculties (P<0.001). Students from School of Medicine had the most positive attitudes toward the nursing profession (X=0.28; SD=0.61), followed by University Department of Health Studies students (X=0.18; SD=0.97), whereas Catholic Faculty of Theology students had negative
attitudes toward the nursing profession (X=-0.98; SD=1.42).

Conclusion: Nurses should promote their profession, especially towards young people who are on the verge of choosing their professional career.