The relationship between images of nursing and person-environment fit

The results showed that nurses perceived that the public viewed them more negatively than they saw themselves as professionals, and the public image of nurses could be manifested within the health care environment in the form of a lack of professional recognition toward nurses.

Abstract

The public image of nurses has been of great concern to the nursing profession. This image views nursing as a female occupation with nurses having little power over their practice. Researchers claim that the stereotypical public image of nursing could constrain nursing practice. For instance, nursing skills may be under-utilised and the health care environment may not adequately reward nurses for their performance. There has also been a concern that the constraints arising from the stereotypical public image of nursing may adversely affect nurses ’ work behaviour. Based on the Person-Environment-Occupation Model of Occupational Performance, the thesis examined how the public image of nurses could impact on nursing practice. The thesis also explored the person-environment (mis)fit in nursing, which is characterised as (in)congruence between nurses ’ professional orientation (i.e., nurses’ self-image, role expectations and work values) and their actual practice (i.e., nurses’ perception of the image of nurses held by the public, and nurses ’ perceptions of their actual roles and the rewards available to them in practice). In addition, the thesis