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Irish nursing students' changing levels of assertiveness during their pre-registration programme
Cecily M Begley1, Michèle Glacken
1School of Nursing and Midwifery Studies, Trinity College Dublin, 24 D'Olier Street, Dublin 2, Ireland. cbegley@tcd.ie
Nurse Education Today
|October 7, 2004
Summary
Nursing students showed increased assertiveness during their education. Enhancing assertiveness skills is crucial for effective nursing practice in today's healthcare environment.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Healthcare Professional Development
- Assertiveness Training
Background:
- Bullying and stress are prevalent issues in Irish nursing and midwifery.
- Victims of bullying require high assertiveness to cope with victimization.
- Assessing nursing students' assertiveness levels is vital before and after their training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To measure the perceived assertiveness levels of nursing students.
- To compare assertiveness before and near the end of a three-year pre-registration program.
Main Methods:
- Ethical approval was obtained for the study.
- Seventy-two students from two Southern Ireland nursing schools participated.
- A validated and reliable questionnaire adapted from assertiveness scales was used.
Main Results:
- Student-reported assertiveness generally increased as they neared program completion.
- This finding suggests a positive development in students' confidence and communication skills.
Conclusions:
- Assertiveness is essential for nurses to meet patient needs in resource-limited healthcare settings.
- Nurse educators and clinicians should focus on bridging the theory-practice gap in assertiveness.
- Strategies to enhance assertiveness should encompass individual, interface, and organizational levels.