The Image Of Nursing And Nurses Among Primary School Pupils

Nursing care may be crucial for improving the outcomes of medical treatment at the level of individuals, families, and communities. Such contribution of the nursing care can only be achieved by educated nurses with the knowledge and skills of clinical work. Research notes that for development of a competent nurse several factors are important such as the public image of nurses, the level of expert knowledge available, the number of personnel in the health sector challenging the future needs, development, and transfer of new dimensions of knowledge in nursing as well as research as a source of new insights, etc. Our paper presents the results of the survey, which was conducted under the Targeted Research Program V5-1570 to examine the knowledge, beliefs and attitudes towards nursing care and the profession of a nurse on a sample of pupils of the last triad of primary education. We were interested in the identification of the degree of nursing visibility and perceptions of the nursing profession as well as the social cognitive constructs of health care among primary school pupils especially when they are deciding on further education at secondary level. In the study, we used the non-experimental approach to quantitative research - the survey. The sample included 1984 pupils of the eighth-grade Slovenian elementary schools in 12 statistical regions of Slovenia. To collect the data, we used the previously designed instrument for measuring knowledge and attitudes to the profession of a nurse. The instrument contained 27 claims measured by a three-step scale of an agreement focused on knowledge of nursing profession and attitudes towards the profession. The analysis of the reliability of the instrument showed the adequate reliability of the instrument. As our study indicates, for the nursing care has already heard 95% of respondents. Many respondents have also heard of various professions in the health care sector. Respondents agree with the allegations, describing the nurse as a person involved in treating patients, providing a secure environment, and caring for patients as well as dealing with their physiological needs. Among the Quite respondents agree with the allegations, pointing to a subordinate role of the nursing profession comparing to the profession of doctors, and only partially agree with the research-development and managerial role of nurses.The study indicates the need for the popularisation of nursing care and promotion of the image of nursing as a profession within the school system, which is based on the profession-specific processes, activities and work processes and approaches to research and development.