title: The liberating effects of RN-to-BSN education.
abstract: This study investigated whether postlicensure baccalaureate education was associated with decreased acceptance of oppressed status for nursing and the self, with behavioral changes in job performance, and in joining a professional organization. Selected writings of Freire (1970a, 1970b, 1973) concerning education of the oppressed were used to form the conceptual framework. Baccalaureate education was conceptualized as a means of overcoming oppression-related behaviors and attitudes in nurses. The criterion measures were self-reports of job performance, joining the American Nurses Association (ANA), self-concept measurements, and perception of nursing measured by a semantic differential. Except for self-concept, which remained unchanged, all the findings were in the predicted direction supporting the conceptual framework.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nursing, College of Education, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT 06117.
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Witt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008873:Mid-Atlantic Region; D009511:New England; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D012649:Self Concept; D012938:Social Perception