A Comparative Study on Knowledge and Attitude Towards Nursing Profession among PCL and B.Sc. Nursing Students in a Selected Nursing Institute, Pokhara, Nepal
Objectives: To explore and compare the knowledge and attitude of nursing students towards nursing profession. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted among 183 (113 Proficiency Certificate Level and 70 Bachelor of Science) nursing students by using knowledge and attitude questionnaire on nursing profession. Results: In both the groups of PCL and B.Sc. students, majority (94.69% and 88.57% had fair knowledge about nursing profession. Majority of the students had positive attitude towards the statement on the scope of nursing is very broad and highly demanded, a nurse is a professional liaison between the physician and the patient, nurses work with high technology, nurses are capable of independent practice, the service given by nurses is as important as that given by physicians, nurses with advanced degrees make important contributions to patient care, nurses feel good about what they do, a healthy nurse will be able to organize her work properly and confidently, a nurse must have a friendly and helpful nature and behaviour towards patient, a nurse should be able to cope with any kind of difficult situation, media concealed the role of nurse to the public, the public does not know the different cadres of nurses with different qualifications, nurses have limited voices with administrators, nurses receive little respect from other health care providers and society. Majority of the students in both the groups were had negative attitude towards the statement on anyone can be a nurse easily, nurses make decisions by themselves, nurses follow the physician's orders without questions, nurses' work is just giving injection and care to patient and career ladder of nursing profession is limited. Majority (67.25% of the PCL students had negative attitude on there is no clear cut written policy for nursing profession in most of the nursing institutions and hospitals, whereas majority 78.57% of the B.Sc. students had positive attitude on the same statement. Conclusion: The result reveals that in both PCL and B.Sc. students, majority (94.69% and 88.57% had fair knowledge about nursing, and had positive and negative attitude on various statements towards nursing profession.