[A comparative study of the opinion on the image of nursing among the doctors, nurses, other hospital personnel and the general public].

The hospital is not the place for functional isolationalism, that is, for each department to do their own activities independently. Rather it is an organization in which each part is joined together and concentrating on the same objectives. The hospital must maintain a one-system-function, so that all the resources of the hospital may be used efficiently. Although we do not yet completely understand how the nursing image as perceived by the medical team and the other members of the interdisciplinary team affects nursing practice. It is important to identify how the client recognizes the nursing image as this will influence the growth of the nursing profession directly and indirectly. So we must reevaluate the nursing image as presented to the client and find the ways to present them with a better image of nursing. The study procedures were as follow: First, the image of nurses was analyzed. The subjects for this study were 270 nurses, 172 doctors, 237 hospital employees, and 240 patients and their families from 5 local branches of the Yonsei Medical Center. The four negative responses shown in this study are as follows: 1) Nurses don't listen to patients. 2) Nurses are self-centered. 3) Nurses and careless. 4) Nurses are mechanical. Second, the concrete causes of the four negative responses were analyzed. Third, the contribution of the nurses for clinical practice, research and education was analyzed. Data were collected by questionnaires all seps of the research. Data were analyzed by use of SPSS/PC+. In conclusion, the image of nurses differed according to which group, the respondents belonged. Generally, the public have a positive image of nurses, but hospital employees have a negative images of nurses. Further the nurses gave themselves a low grade. They showed negative as to the value of their job, professionality and their contribution to clinical practice when it was compared to that of the doctors.