A study of attitudes to gender and nursing stereotypes in newly recruited student nurses

This article presents the findings of a study which investigated the attitudes of 100 newly recruited student nurses towards gender and nursing stereotypes. The students were in their second day of the Common Foundation Programme at North Staffordshire College of Nursing and Midwifery. The data were collected using a researcher developed instrument which utilised a Likert scale for measurement of attitudes in relationship to statements pertaining to gender and nursing stereotypes. The findings reveal overall high mean scores and an implied propensity towards beliefs in gender and nursing stereotypes. Analysis related to demographic variables of gender, age and sex gives a number of significant results. The highest proportion of significant results were related to gender differences in the sample. The data provide a basis for evaluation of teaching and learning related to students in the sample course of studies. The findings also have more general implications for curricular issues and the development of teaching strategies.