Determination of The Image of Nursing Profession in Community

Aim: This study is carried out in order to determine the image of Nursing Profession in community

Method: This descriptive research’s environment is 65.000 individuals who are over or at the age of 18, living in the service area of 3 Family Health Center in Erzurum city center. In choosing sampling, the formula which is applied in the situations when individual number is known in the environment, is used; sampling number is determined to be 634. In the process of gathering data, “Survey Form” and “Nursing Image Scale” is used. The scale is made of 28 items including individuals’ views on the image of nursing profession. The scale has 3 sub-dimensions named as “General View”, “Communication”, and “Professional and Educational Qualifications”. Increase in total point means that nursing image is positive.

Results: Average age of the individuals attended the study is 34.26±11.85. %54.9 of individuals is female while %45 is male. %68.2 of participants has high school or a higher education; %62.9 has a nurse in his/her family. It is determined that difference between total point averages and scale sub-dimensions according to a nurse family member and profession of individuals is significant (p<0.05, p<0.001). Individuals’ “General View” sub-dimension average point is 10.82±2.25, “Communication” sub-dimension average point is 10.55±2.88, “Professional and Educational Qualifications” sub-dimension average point is 27.19±5.49, and scale total point average is 48.57±8.51.

Conclusion: It is determined that Nursing profession’s image on individuals participated in the study is medium-level positive. It is also found out in the study that individual who is self-employment and who have a nurse family member have a higher positive level of nursing image.