Relationship between technological influences and caring attributes of Korean nurses

With many well-prepared nurse academics, a buoyant economy and an advanced health-care system, it is timely that research addresses some of the features and characteristics of Korean nurses and communicates this to the English-speaking world. This study focuses on Korean registered nurses and their views of themselves as carers in a modern technological environment. By collecting data from a sample of 560 registered nurses and using an instrument previously administered in an international sample, comparisons to normative data are presented and contrasted to recent reports. The instrument uses Likert items to measure caring attributes and technological influences. The results show that older, more experienced and more qualified Korean nurses tend to report significantly higher scores for caring attributes, yet approximately 80% of the sample were aged less than 30, 70% were unmarried, 70% had less than 6 years experience and 60% were diploma prepared. These results are discussed in the light of normative findings from the international study and, in the context of this unique homogeneous cultural sample, concern is expressed about the lack of senior role models and the apparent drain of senior professionals.