Abstract
For continuous development of professional nursing to the powerful professional organization, it is essential that the public understand and help nursing. This research was done to identify the image of nurses and factors that determine that image. The study subjects were 97 admitted patients 95 family members of patients who were admitted to a university hospital and a general hospital in Seoul and 164 parents of stutents in elemantary, middle, high schools in Seoul. The total numbers of subjects was 356. The researcher collected the data from April 13.1998 to April 20.1998. The Research tool was developed by the researcher following a literature review. Cronbach ${\alpha}$ for the tool of the image of nurses was 0.9397 and Cronbach a for the tool for determinants of the image was 0.8764. The obtained data were processed by SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) and the results are as follows : 1. The mean score for the image of nurses was 90.40${\pm}$15.15(range 47${\sim}$138) indicating a positive response. 2. Analysis of the image of nurses : Four factors were identified traditional. social. professional and personal image. The mean score for traditional image was 3.27. the second highest score. and for social image. 2.95. the lowest score. The mean score for professional image score was 3.48. the highest score. and for personal image, 3.20. a lower score. 3. The image of nurses according to respondents There were significant differences for traditional. social, professional. personal factors between subject groups. A more positive responses was found in the patients and patient' families as a compared to the students' parents. 4. Image of nurses related general characteristics : There was a significant difference for age and school graduation. More negative responses were found in the 31${\sim}$40 years old age group and in the higher educated group. 5. Image of nurses related to experience of nurses The respondents showed a more negative image when their experience related to nurses through the mass media, as a compared to the experiences of having talked with patient who had been admitted to hospital. For the social image factor. a more negative attitude was revealed for those who had the experience of patient who had been admitted to hospital as compared to other factors. 6. Determinants of image of nurses : There were three factors that were named subjective. administrative and media . The mean for the subjective factor score was 3.85. the highest score of the three factors. The mean for the administrative factor score was 3.53. And the mean for the media factor score was 3.27. 7. Determinants of image of nurses according to respondents group : There were no significant differences(F= 1.95, P= .14) Consequently the result showed a low social image of nurses. So. nurses must work to improve the social image of nurses through scientific approaches and by monitoring the mass media for correct descriptions of nurses. Also. it is necessary that excellent education for service and politeness be continually provided in order to positively effect the personal image field. It is also importent to raise the expectations of the recipients of nursing care by having a strategy for the determinants of the image of nurses that allows nurses to personnally develop professionally.