Nurses’ Views on Their Profession in Turkey and Influencing Factors

Selma Sabanciogullari* and Selma Dogan

Objective: The study was conducted as a descriptive and cross-sectional to determine nurses’ views on their profession in Turkey, their commitment to the profession and participation in professional activities and influencing factors.

Methods: The study sample comprised 2253 nurses working in hospital in Turkey. The data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researchers. For the assessment of the data, percentages,the chi square and multiple logistic regression analysis were used.

Results: According to the findings of the study based on the nurses’ statements, of the nurses, 62.3% chose the nursing profession willingly, 51% were satisfi ed with their profession, 75% thought that their profession was suitable for them, 59.3% might change their profession if they were offered better working or fi nancial conditions, 15.4% considered leaving their profession, 37.2% participated in professional conferences and training courses, 72.3% did not keep up with professional publications and 32.3% were the members of the National Nursing Organization. The nurses who chose the profession willingly and had higher levels of education displayed more positive attitudes to their profession than did the nurses who  did not choose the profession willingly and had lower levels of education, and the difference between  them was statistically signifi cant. The nurses having bachelor’s or master’s degrees participated in professional activities more than did the others, and the difference was significantly high.

Conclusions and Implications: As a result, it was determined that Turkish nurses had high levels of positive views regarding their profession and commitment to the nursing profession, but low levels of  intentions to achieve their professional responsibilities. For nursing to gain ground in the process of professionalization, it is extremely important that its members should adopt its professional ideology, should have a positive perception of the profession and themselves, develop a positive professional identity. Therefore, nurses’ thoughts about the profession, and how well they adopt the profession should  be determined and should be strengthened. This is the basis for the development of nursing as a profession.

Keywords: Nurse; Nursing Profession; Occupational considerations; Turkey

Published on: Mar 15, 2017 Pages: 16-25

Full Text PDF Full Text HTML DOI: 10.17352/anpc.000020
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