Los valores profesionales en el grado de enfermería

Abstract

Professional values are defined as contextualized human values oriented to the profession, constituting the professional identity and are acquired mainly through academic training and clinical practice. The main objective of this research has been to analyze the perception regarding the professional values of the students of a nursing school in Barcelona (Spain). METHODOLOGY: This research is a case study for which mixed methodology has been used following a concurrent triangulation design (DITRIAC). Three hundred and fifteen students from the four courses that make up the nursing degree participated. With the intention of responding to the proposed objectives, two instruments were used: for the quantitative approach, the Professional Nursing Values Scale (EVPE) validated in Spain by Basurto (2010) was used and for the qualitative approach, a questionnaire specifically designed for research that included 13 behaviors related to professional values (CCEUG). RESULTS: The response rate was 65.9%. The mean score obtained by the students on the Scale of Values (EVPE) was 113.35, the range of possible scores being between 26 and 130. The reliability of the scale was analyzed and a Cronbach's alpha coefficient of .926 was obtained. After analyzing the relationship of the scale with the six sociodemographic variables of the student sample, statistically significant differences were obtained in two of them: 1) Academic year and 2) Years of work experience in Health Sciences. The highest scores were obtained in the Ethical Dimension. The qualitative approach allowed us to identify the values that guide the behaviors of the students in their clinical practices according to their own perception, as well as the facilitating, inhibiting and ambivalent factors associated with these behaviors. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that the perception of the importance of values in nursing students is high, although it increases over the last two years. The main value that guides their conduct is respect for human dignity for all courses, although in higher courses the range of identified values increases. Certain factors influence student behaviors associated with values. For all these reasons, we consider it necessary to intensify training in professional values throughout the degree with the intention of improving the quality of care for future professionals.

Date of Award	28 May 2021
Original language	Spanish
Supervisor	José María Asensio Aguilera (Director)