Role selection by nurses: managerial interests and personal attributes

The relationship between interest in management roles and personality, demographic, and career background characteristics of 122 female nurses was investigated. The study tested the proposition that women in nursing seek roles within the profession that permit the expression of their personalities. The subjects, first-quarter master's degree students, were classified into management or non-management groups, based upon their scores on the business management scale of the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII). Results of a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) for unequal N's showed significant group differences on seven of the 11 scales of the Vocational Preference Inventory (VPI). Findings indicated that those who exhibited managerial interests were more practical-minded, sociable, conforming, dominant, expressive, and had more occupational interests than those who did not demonstrate such interest. Women lacking managerial interests showed a greater preference for "feminine," low-status occupations. No significant group differences were found on any of the 19 demographic and career background variables.