Gough Karla, Happell Brenda
School of Behavioural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
J Clin Nurs. 2009 Nov;18(22):3155-64. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2702.2008.02764.x. Epub 2009 Jul 8.
The use of cluster analysis to determine if specific groups of students could be identified based on their attitudes towards mental health nursing following the completion of a clinical experience in a mental health setting.
Research suggests that nursing students generally have a negative image of mental health nursing. This can be improved following clinical exposure in mental health settings, however, specific aspects of clinical experience that might facilitate attitudinal change have been under-researched.
Survey.
A survey was administered to students (n = 703) immediately after completion of their clinical experience. Cluster analysis was used to identify natural groupings within the study cohort.
Three distinct clusters were identified. Cluster 1 demonstrated more positive attitudes, greater confidence and viewed mental health more positively than students in the other two Clusters. They were more likely to be male, have spent at least 30 minutes per shift with a preceptor and have completed shifts of eight hours rather than seven hours.
Attitudes to mental health nursing may be influenced by specific demographic characteristics of students and by specific aspects of their clinical experience.
The nursing workforce is an essential element of quality mental health service delivery. Knowledge about factors influencing more positive attitudes is important for structuring clinical experience and designing effective recruitment strategies to attract more students into this field of practice.
运用聚类分析来确定在精神卫生机构完成临床实习后，是否能根据学生对精神科护理的态度识别出特定的学生群体。
研究表明，护理专业学生通常对精神科护理持有负面印象。然而，在精神卫生机构进行临床实习后这种情况可能会得到改善，不过，对于可能促进态度转变的临床实习具体方面的研究还不够充分。
调查研究。
在学生完成临床实习后立即对703名学生进行了一项调查。采用聚类分析来确定研究队列中的自然分组。
识别出三个不同的类别。与其他两个类别中的学生相比，类别1表现出更积极的态度、更强的自信心，并且对精神卫生的看法更积极。他们更有可能是男性，每班至少与带教老师相处30分钟，并且完成的是8小时轮班而非7小时轮班。
对精神科护理的态度可能受到学生的特定人口统计学特征及其临床实习的特定方面的影响。
护理人员是提供优质精神卫生服务的重要组成部分。了解影响更积极态度的因素对于构建临床实习和设计有效的招聘策略以吸引更多学生进入该实践领域非常重要。
