Personality Traits of Nurses in Anesthesia and Family Nurse Practitioner Masters Degree Programs

Abstract

Abstract : Personality types have been consistently linked to occupational choices. Studies using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) have dependable findings when evaluating personality types. The MBTI is a psychometrically sound instrument designed to identify theoretical constructs of Carl Jung's personality typology. The purpose of this study is to describe the personality attributes found in Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist (SRNAs) and Student Family Nurse Practitioners (SFNPs) before they start their graduate programs. Knowledge of personality traits of the two groups carries the possibility of creating educational programs for practitioners to institute in their various academic studies. The research question is to describe the personality traits of nurses in anesthesia and family practitioner masters degree programs. This descriptive study used the MBTI and involved uniformed service nurses who were selected for the Uniformed Service University of the Health Sciences (USUMS) anesthetist and family practitioner programs. Evaluation of the SRNAs, 33% fell into the personality typology designated for types and 25% were found to be in the nurse personality type; As the inventory was given to military nurses, these results are not surprising. An analysis of SFNPs data, showed that 15% of students belonged in the military group, 23% into the nursing category, and 31% in a category similar to that of general practitioner's. This is interesting because family practitoners do similar tasks and and work in the same environment as their counterpart general practitioner physicians. Evaluation of the discrete composite groups of the SRNAs and the SFNPs together found that both groups of were similar. The majority of subjects were the extroverted-sensing-thinking-judging (ESTJ) composite