title: Nursing: just a job? Do statistics tell us what we think?
abstract: This study considers the value of classifying attitudinal statements given by nurses in a questionnaire by the statistical procedure of latent class analysis. It demonstrates with the use of qualitative data derived from in-depth interviews how precarious are the groups derived from statistical analysis. However, it is argued that the apparent discrepancies between responses 'objectively' derived by a statistical approach and those 'subjectively' declared by respondents may focus on different levels of meaning and may well provide a useful resource. Most importantly, it is stressed that a dynamic model is needed which recognizes change and the consequences of change.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing and Health Studies, St Martin's College.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Soothill
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barry
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D009726:Nurses / Q000145:classification* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012649:Self Concept; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires