Sağlık ve Hemşirelik Yönetimi Dergisi (Feb 2016)

Opinions of the Nurses working in Pediatry Clinics of a University Hospital About Professional Associations

  • İlknur Kahriman,
  • Havva Karadeniz Mumcu,
  • Dilek Kaptan,
  • Arzu Candaş Ayar

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5222/SHYD.2015.132
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 2, no. 3
pp. 132 – 141

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION: This study was conducted to determine the opinions of the nurses who work in the clinics of pediatrics about professional associations, the factors prohibiting these nurses from being a member of these associations and their expectations from them. METHODS: This descriptive study was carried out with 63 nurses working in a pediatry clinic of a university hospital who volunteered to participate in the investigation in Trabzon between January 15 and February 15, 2013. Data were collected in a questionnaire survey in face to face interviews. For the research, permission was obtained from the hospital's head physician. Numbers, percentages, average and chisquare test were used in the analysis of data. Cut-off value for statistical significance limit was accepted as p<0.05. RESULTS: 79.4% of the nurses participated in the study were aware of professional organizations/associations. 50.8% of the nurses were the members of a professional organization. The most commonly known porfessional organization/association was Turkish Nurses Association (82.5%) and the most common subscribed occupational organization/association is Health Union (36.5%). 90.5% of the nurses were of the opinion that occupational organizations/ associations were necessary. The expectations of the nurses from occupational organizations/associations were to protect their rights (84.1%) and to take steps at increasing the prestige of nursing (84.1%). The factors prohibiting nurses from being a member of a professional organization/association are insufficient self-promotion of professional organizations/associations (65.1%), thoughts of uselessness of organizations/associations (46.0%), and inability to communicate with the employees of these professional organizations/associations (42.9%). No significant difference was found between the age of the nurses and their membership in any organization/ association (p=0.250) and the nurses' total working experience and their membership in any organization/association (p=0.166). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Having information about professional organizations/associations does not lead a nurse to become a member of them. Nurses' organizational culture has not developed/could not be developed. Most of the nurses expect professional organizations/ associations to make an attempt regarding procedures of membership.

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