Professional development of nurse practitioners as a function of need motivation, learning style, and locus of...

This study assessed the relationship of loci of control, learning styles, and motivational needs of 53 graduates of the Wichita State University Nurse Clinician Program to amounts and types of professional activities performed in a clinical setting. A self-appraisal was also considered in the analyses. Motivational needs assessed included the needs for achievement, affiliation, and power. Findings revealed that nurse clinicians with moderate need for achievement, high need for affiliation, and moderate need for power performed significantly (p less than .03) more professional activities than nurses with high need for achievement, low need for affiliation, and high need for power. Other findings showed a significant (p less than .04) negative relationship between chance locus of control and self-appraisals. Amounts and types of professional activities performed were not significantly related to loci of control or to learning styles.