title: The path to nurse registration.
abstract: The aim of this study was to identify factors promoting or impeding pre-registration degree level education at the first School of Nursing in Scotland offering transfer from diploma to degree programmes. A questionnaire was used to collect data from third year student nurses (adult branch). This included an "attitude towards obtaining a degree" scale, developed using psychometric techniques to maximise reliability and validity. Attitudes were generally positive. The majority of participants believed obtaining a degree would help nurses develop their career and increase their professional status. However, the majority disagreed with views that obtaining a degree was essential to be a good nurse, would make nurses better at their jobs and would improve patient care provided by nurses. Only 25% believed obtaining a degree ought to be essential for all student nurses. Twenty-nine participants did not accept transfer to a degree programme. Of these, four-fifths reported this was due to the combined pressures of academic workload, family and work. None of these participants believed that obtaining a degree would make nurses better at their jobs. A theory-practice divide seemed to exist whereby many participants did not relate increased degree knowledge to improved clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: University of Paisley, School of Health, Nursing and Midwifery, University Campus Ayr, Beech Grove, Ayr, Scotland KA8 0SR, United Kingdom. shew-nm0@wpmail.paisley.ac.uk
authors.forename: Louisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sheward
authors.forename: Iain
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D003657:Decision Making; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004518:Education, Professional, Retraining / Q000458:organization & administration*; D004651:Employment / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009742:Nursing Theory; D011361:Professional Competence; D012606:Scotland; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload