A Study on Uniform Satisfaction and Professional Self-Image of Nurses

간호사의 유니폼에 대한 만족도와 전문직 자기이미지에 관한 연구

The purpose of this study was to serve as a basis for mapping out successful strategies to build the professional self-image of nurses through uniform, by examining their satisfaction with uniform and professional self-image by general characteristics, and identifying the correlational relationship between the two factors. The subjects in this study were 205 nurses who served in general departments of two university hospitals in Seoul. The departments where special uniform was required, including ICU, RR, OR and CSR, were excluded. The data were collected from September 15 through 22, 2000. For measurement of uniform satisfaction level, a uniform satisfaction scale was prepared by myself, and Arthur(1990)'s PSCNI translated and modified by Song Kyong Ae and Rho Chun Hee(1996) was employed. The Cronbach a of the uniform satisfaction scale and PSCNI was 0.90 and 0.86 respectively. The collected data were analyzed by SAS, and real number, percentage, average and standard deviation were calculated. Besides, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's r procedures were utilized, and Scheffe test was conducted as a posttest. The findings of this study were as below: 1. The uniform satisfaction of the nurses investigated was scored 2.52 on the basis of 4 points, which was on the medium level. By subarea, symbolicity satisfaction was 2.48, and aesthetic satisfaction was 2.60. The functionability satisfaction was 2.44. So the esthetic satisfaction was greatest. 2. Among general characteristics of the subjects, two factors made a significant difference to their uniform satisfaction : age(F=4.05, P=.0189), and total career(F=4.25, P=.0061). 3. Their professional self-image got 2.75 on the basis of 4 points, which was on upper middle level. The subarea score was 2.79 for professional work, 2.52 for satisfaction and 2.97 for communication. The communication area was rated highest, and the satisfaction area was scored lowest. 4. Among the general characteristics of the subjects, professional self-image was different according to five factors : age(F=17.83, P=.001), marital status(T=5.18, P=.0000), educational background(F=8.72, P=.0002), position(T=-5.29, P=.0000) and total career(F=15.23, p=.0001). Better professional self-image was possessed by the older group than the younger one, by the married group than the singles, by the better-educated group than the less-educated, by the nurses in position equal to or higher than charge nurse, or by the higher-career group. 5. The correlational relationship of uniform satisfaction to professional self-image was statistically significant, yet very weak(r=.1978, p=.0045). The satisfaction area of professional self-image was correlated to every uniform satisfaction area, including symbolicity(4=.4393, p=.0001), aesthetics(r=.2471, p=.0004), functionability(r=.3094, p=.0001) and total satisfaction(r=.4050, p=.0001). Therefore, the uniform satisfaction gave an impact on the satisfaction area of professional self-image of the nurses, and there was a significant correlational relationship between uniform symbolicity area and total professional self-image(r=.2416, p=.0005).