Political Participation of Registered Nurses: A Correlational Study

This study analyzes and provides a base line description of the political participation of nurses practicing in hospitals. The study explores the relationships between political participation and the variables: self-esteem, personal control, political efficacy and critical thinking. The theoretical framework for designing the questionnaire was based on the Political Participation Model (Verba and Nie, 1972) and the Political Process Participation Questionnaire (Archer, 1983). Design of the Political Efficacy Scale was based on the Subjective Political Competence Scale (Almond and Verba, 1963) and the Political Efficacy Scale (Campbell, Gurin and Miller, 1954). Self-esteem was measured by the Self-Esteem Inventory (Coopersmith, 1967). Personal Control was Measured by the Internal, Powerful Others, and Chance Locus of Control Scale, (Levenson and Miller, 1976). Critical thinking ability was measured by the Critical Thinking Appraisal (Watson and Glaser, 1980). The research study group consisted of 56 registered nurses who were practicing for five or more years in hospitals in San Diego County, California. Correlation procedures and analysis of variance were employed to test for significance and to determine whether relationships exist between political participation and the variables. A significant relationship exists between political participation and critical thinking, self-esteem and political efficacy. Nurses agreed to some extent with participation in politics, but reported a low level of participation in the political process within the last year.

Name thesis:degree_name

EdD Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation: Open Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Education

Year dc:date.available

1991

Author dc:creator

• McDaniels, Ophelia B., EdD

• correlational study
• critical thinking
• Leadership studies
• nursing
• personal control
• political efficacy
• political participation
• Registered Nurses
• self-esteem

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digital.sandiego.edu/dissertations/561

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digital.sandiego.edu:dissertations-1566