The Impact of Performance of Non-Nursing Tasks on the Attitudes of Nursing Students toward Nursing Profession

Background: Performing non-nursing tasks (NNTs) by registered nurses is considered as one of the most challenging issues faced by nursing sector worldwide. The negative impacts of nurses’ engagement in NNTs were not limited to nurses or clients, but also nursing students who train in clinical areas. Performance of NNTs is found to aggravate nurses’ confusion about their professional roles and identity. However, the impact of performance of NNTs on nursing students has not been yet studied. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of witnessing performance of non-nursing tasks by registered nurses on nursing students’ attitudes toward the nursing profession.Methods: A descriptive comparative study was conducted from September 2021 to January 2022. A convenience sampling was used and 409 valid questionnaires were obtained from Jordanian nursing students who were at least in their second academic year and had completed at least one clinical training period in one of the clinical settings. Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession was used to explore the participants’ attitudes toward the nursing profession. Descriptive statistics and independent t-test test were used for data analysis.Results: The results revealed that approximately 48% of the participants witnessed performance of NNTs by registered nurses during their clinical training. Student participants who witnessed performance of NNTs (M=154.4, SD=17.5) showed significantly less positive attitude toward the nursing profession than those who did not witness (M=157.4, SD=12.2), t(407)=-2.03, p=0.007).Conclusion: Around half of student participants witnessed performance of NNTs by registered nurses during clinical training. Performance of NNTs had a significant effect on nursing students’ attitudes toward nursing profession. Appropriate measures should be prior to clinical training to enhance nurse students’ awareness about professional scope of nursing profession.