Perceptions of Professionalism:
Exploration of Nursing Students &
Faculty
Noori Akhtar-Danesh
Andrea Baumann
Janet Landeen
Yvonne Lawlor
Ruth Lee
Camille Kolotylo
Catherine Tompkins
Nursing Professionalism
 Health care professions struggle with the
notion of professionalism: defining it,
encouraging its development, and ensuring
novices acquire adequate knowledge of the
generally accepted mores of the profession.
 It is more critical for health professions due
to the changing nature of work and
generational differences.
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Nursing Professionalism
 These differences often lead to
misunderstandings and unrealistic and
less clear expectations.
 The RNAO Guideline identified several
characteristics of professionalism including
knowledge, intellectual & individual
responsibility, and well-developed group
consciousness.
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Nursing Professionalism
 The limited research in this area focused
on specific aspects of professionalism,
such as autonomy and advocacy.
 Objectives: In this pilot study, perceptions
of professionalism held by nursing students
and faculty are explored.
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The Major Research Proposal
 Findings of this project will inform the
preparation of a larger research proposal
with two major objectives:
a) to suggest approaches to enhance nursing
professionalism and
b) to develop a toolkit to be used by healthcare
educators for the assessment and enhancement
of professionalism.
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The Major Research Proposal
 The major research proposal will be
submitted to one of the agencies such as
SSHRC, Canadian Health Services
Research Foundation (CHSRF), Ministry of
Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC), or
Canadian Council on Learning.
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Methods: Q-methodology
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Q-methodology is used to study human
perceptions, interpersonal relationships, unique
viewpoints, and commonly shared views.
It will be used to explore the participants
perceptions of, barriers to, and factors that
facilitate professionalism in nursing.
A Q-methodology study is usually consisted of two
phases; 1) Instrument development and 2) Data
collection and analysis.
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Phase 1:
Instrument Development
1. Identification of statements (Concourse):
Statements about nursing professionalism
will be identified in two ways:
a) twenty nursing students and 10 faculty are
(were) interviewed (in focus groups) and each
person is (was) asked to provide about five
statements on the definition, barriers, and
facilitators of nursing professionalism.
b) additional statements are (were) collected from
literature.
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Phase 1:
Instrument Development
2. Q-sample: The collected statements are reviewed
for similarities and differences. Repetitive
responses are discarded. Disagreements are
resolved through consensus. The final statements
are numbered randomly and typed onto separate
cards.
3. The data collection instrument (Q-sort table), is
developed with as many cells as the Q-sample
statements.
4. Piloting the instrument. A convenience sample of
five nursing students and faculty are asked to
complete the Q-sort and provide feedback.
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Phase 1: Instrument
Development
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Phase 2: Data Collection &
Analysis
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Thirty nursing students and 30 faculty will be
asked to rank order the statements using the Qsort table and to complete a demographic data
form.
Data Analysis: data will be analyzed using
PQMethod-2.11 to identify groups based on their
Q-sort similarities.
Then, each identified factor is interpreted based
on the statements that are specific to that factor
(distinguishing statements).
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Timeline
 May 2009 - March 2010 (We have funding
for May- December 2009, this application is
to cover the expenses for January 2010March 2010).
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