A study of baccalaureate nursing faculty and student selections of actual and ideal student role models in clinical teaching

Abstract

This study was designed to compare baccalaureate student nurses and nursing faculty in terms of their selections of actual and ideal student role models for each of seven behaviors that comprise the professional nursing role. More specifically, selected baccalaureate nursing faculty were compared with three classes of students (sophomores, juniors and seniors) from all National League for Nursing (N.L.N.) accredited schools in a southeastern state. The study population consisted of 453 baccalaureate nursing students and 80 baccalaureate nursing faculty in a southeastern state. All students and faculty in the population were asked to participate. Of the possible participants, 306 students (68%) and 39 faculty (63.7%) actually completed questionnaires and were a part of the study sample. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the demographic data, and the hypotheses were tested through a Chi Square Goodness-of-Fit test. The alpha level for all tests was .05. (1) Baccalaureate nursing student class groups (sophomores, juniors, seniors) do not differ in their selections of nursing positions that they believe serve as most appropriate and least appropriate actual student role models for behaviors of professional nurses (clinical decision making, collaboration, leadership, management of client care, relating with others, the research process in clinical practice, and teaching). (2) Baccalaureate nursing student class groups do not differ in their selections of nursing positions that they believe serve as ideal student role models for behaviors of professional nurses. (3) Baccalaureate nursing students and faculty do not differ in their selections of nursing positions that they believe serve as actual student role models for behaviors of professional nurses. (4) Baccalaureate nursing students and faculty differ in their selection of nursing positions that they believe serve as most appropriate ideal student role models and do not differ in their selection of nursing positions that they believe serve as least appropriate ideal student role models for behaviors of professional nurses. (5) Each group in the study differs with regard to their selections of actual versus ideal student role models. Numerous recommendations based upon the findings and conclusions of the study were made.