Values and Value Changes of Graduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Values of 75 graduate nursing students in one university school of nursing were compared at times of entry into the program and at the completion of one academic year of study. Gordon's Survey of Interpersonal Values and Survey of Personal Values and a questionnaire were used to collect data. The students' perceived impact of certain educational factors was explored for possible relationship of these factors to changes that occurred. Values of the graduate nursing faculty and their perception of the importance of the same factors were obtained and compared with those of the students. Students showed signficant increases in values of support, recognition, and independence and significant decreases in benevolence, conformity, and practical mindedness. These changes bore similarity to those reported in previous studies of undergraduate nursing students and medical students. Differences between the students and faculty on two values, practical mindedness and independence, had disappeared by the end of one year; difference on one value, recognition, had appeared; and difference on one value, achievement, remained the same. The influence of specific educational factors was not clear. Faculty judged almost all factors as having a greater impact on students than students judged their impact to have been. Students' preestimate of probable influence of the same factors was significantly higher than their postestimate. Some uniform processes of socialization occurred even though students and faculty were not always in agreement about the importance of educational activities and outcomes.