Author: Chong, Ming-ip Colin
Title: The caring attributes of registered psychiatric nurses in Hong Kong : an exploratory study
Degree: M.Sc.
Year: 2001
Subject: Psychiatric nurses -- China -- Hong Kong
Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations
Department: Multi-disciplinary Studies
Department of Nursing and Health Sciences
Pages: vii, 105 leaves ; 30 cm
Language: English
Abstract: Many authors talk about the elusive nature of caring. Yet caring is claimed to the core element of nursing which deserves to have a clear understanding on this construct. A careful literature search finds that many authors studied caring in qualitative research. Quantitative research is rather limited especially in psychiatric stream. Due to the limited studies on psychiatric nursing, it is difficult to evaluate the caring attributes of registered psychiatric nurses which in return will influence the care given to the psychiatric patients. On the other hand, many authors propose that perception, culture and experience have paid important parts on the caring attributes of nurses. This study is to explore the caring attributes of psychiatric nurses by using the Caring Attributes Questionnaire. The Caring Attributes Questionnaire has found to be reliable and valid in a study of nurses in eleven international centers. Further proof of the reliability and validity of the Caring Attributes Questionnaires on the psychiatric nurses will be done in this study. Using descriptive survey design, 275 registered psychiatric nurses in two psychiatric hospitals and the psychiatric unit in a general hospital was surveyed. Data were collected through a self- completed questionnaire, the Caring Attributes Questionnaire CAQ). T- test, analysis of variance and linear correlation were used for data analysis. The findings indicated that caring attributes of psychiatric nurses were significantly influenced by demographic characteristics: age ( p < 0.0001); rank (p < 0.0001); year of services (p< 0.0001); post- experience qualification (p < 0.05); and place of work (p < 0.05). Pearson's correlation coefficient revealed that there was a strong association between rank with the mean score of the CAQ which was significant at the 0.01 level. The four sub- scale of caring attributes: caring intervention, caring involvement, caring communication & advocacy were positively correlated; while learning to care was negatively correlated with a significant at the 0.01 level. Results will be useful in assessing the caring attributes of psychiatric nurses and based on the result to implement related courses for registered psychiatric nurses aiming at providing guidelines and direction for future nursing education.
Rights: All rights reserved
Access: restricted access

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