Award Date

1-1-1998

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Nursing

First Committee Member

Margaret Louis

Number of Pages

121

Abstract

In this study, a descriptive correlational design was used to examine relationships between nursing students' AIDS knowledge, attitudes, and subjective norms, with intention to care for AIDS patients using Ajzen-Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action. Two questionnaires were distributed to a convenience sample of 243 nursing students. The first questionnaire Beliefs About Caring for Persons who are HIV Positive developed by Laschinger and Goldenberg (1993) tested for attitudes and subjective norms as predictors of intended care with AIDS patients based on Ajzen-Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action and a second questionnaire AIDS/HIV Knowledge developed by Tessaro (1995) tested for nursing students knowledge on AIDS. The difference between nursing students' level of AIDS knowledge was analyzed with their attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions to care for AIDS patients. In addition, behavioral beliefs and normative beliefs were compared between nursing students who intended to care for AIDS patients and those who did not intend to care for AIDS patients. Results supported the Ajzen-Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action that attitudes and subjective norms were major determinants of intentions. There were no significant differences in nursing students attitudes, subjective norms and intentions with their AIDS knowledge scores. Nursing students who intended to care for AIDS patients differed significantly in their beliefs that they and their other patients were less at risk for contracting the virus and they were less likely to be shunned by their family and friends than nursing students who did not intend to care for AIDS patients. Significant differences were also found on six of the seven normative belief items between nursing students who intend to care with AIDS patients and those who did not. Findings indicate that educational programs should focus on teaching strategies that address the affective domains of learning.

Keywords

Aids; Attitudes; Care; Deficiency; Immune; Immune Deficiency; Intentions; Knowledge; Nursing; Patients; Social; Students

Controlled Subject

Nursing; Medical sciences--Study and teaching; Education, Higher

File Format

pdf

File Size

2611.2 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

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