Personal values among undergraduate nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychology
• Sociology

Background:

• Personal values significantly influence the development of professional values in nursing students.
• These values impact how students react in various situations and affect overall professional outcomes.
• Factors such as culture, gender, and age can shape an individual's personal values.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the personal values held by undergraduate nursing students.
• To determine if gender and year of study influence these personal values.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted.
• A sample of 947 undergraduate nursing students from eight centers across two universities participated.
• The Portrait Values Questionnaire was administered to collect data on personal values.

Main Results:

• Self-transcendence (emphasizing helping others and selflessness) was the most prominent value across all years of study.
• Male students scored higher in Power and Achievement values compared to female students.
• Female students scored higher in Benevolence and Security values than male students; year of study showed no significant differences.

Conclusions:

• Nursing students generally exhibit high levels of other-directed values.
• Contrary to stereotypes, male nursing students scored higher in traditionally masculine values like dominance and success.
• This study provides foundational data on undergraduate nursing students' personal values, offering insights for nursing educators.