Exploring Role Discrepancies Among Jordanian Nurses: Implications for Continuing Education and Workforce Policy

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Professional Roles

Background:

• Discrepancies between ideal and actual nursing roles negatively affect job satisfaction, role identity, and patient care quality.
• Understanding these role perceptions is crucial for improving the nursing profession.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore registered nurses' perceptions of their ideal versus actual roles in Jordan.
• To identify demographic and organizational factors influencing these role discrepancies.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive cross-sectional study involving 357 nurses from various hospital types in Jordan.
• Utilized a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Pieta Nursing Role Conception tool.
• Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, t tests, and analysis of variance.

Main Results:

• A significant overall discrepancy between ideal and actual nursing roles was observed (mean difference = 0.52, p < .001).
• Largest discrepancies were noted in service (0.96) and professional roles (0.72).
• Bureaucratic roles were practiced more than desired (-0.08), with variations across demographic and organizational factors.

Conclusions:

• Findings underscore the need for interventions to bridge the gap between expected and practiced nursing roles.
• Recommends continuing education, leadership development, and policy reforms to align nursing roles with professional expectations.
• Addressing role discrepancies is vital for enhancing nursing workforce outcomes and patient care.