Investigation of the Professional Self-Concept and the Professional Behaviors of Nurses

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the nurses' professional self-concepts, professional behavior levels and the relationship between them. Material and Method: The universe of this research, which was planned and implemented in a descriptive type and cross-sectional pattern, consisted of 136 volunteer nurses working in two hospitals of a private foundation university in Istanbul on June-July 2018. Data were collected by applying the Personal Information Form of Nurse, Professional Self-Concept Scale for Clinical Nurses and Behavioral Inventory for Professional in Nursing, and descriptive statistical analysis (number, percentage, standard deviation, minimum-maximum), t-test in independent groups and One- Way was evaluated using 95% confidence interval and p<0.05 significance level using ANOVA tests. Approval was obtained from the ethics committee approval of the institution and the hospitals where the research was conducted. Results: The average age of the nurses was 28.00±4.905; 87.5% are women, 80.1% are undergraduate graduates, 59.6% have been working for 1-5 years, 85.3% are service nurses, 46.3% are working in internal clinics, 62.5% are sometimes working day and night. It was found that 81.6% of them did not receive awards related to the profession and 52.9% had the most clinical experience in internal medicine / surgery units. The Professional Self-Concept Scale for Clinical Nurses has a total mean score of 117.35±12.801, and the professional competency sub-dimension mean score (23.07±2.966) is higher than that of other dimensions; It was determined that the Behavioral Inventory for Professional in Nursing total score average was 7.53±4.334, and the highest score average in the sub-dimensions of the inventory was in theory and the lowest score was in the sub-dimension of the publication. According to the level of education of nurses, the professional competencies sub-dimension score average and inventory's educational preparation, participation in professional organizations, competency and continuing education, theory and autonomy sub-dimensions and total inventory score averages; According to the service he worked at, the professional attitude and skills sub-scale score average and the inventory's educational preparation, research, participation in professional organizations, competency and continuing education, autonomy sub-dimensions and total inventory score averages; According to the duration of work per day, the professional satisfaction, professional attitude and skills sub-dimensions and total scale score averages, and the inventory's participation in professional organizations, competency and continuing education, theory, autonomy sub-dimensions; The difference between the professional attitude and skill sub-dimension and the total score average of the scale according to the professional reward status, and the educational preparation, research, participation in professional organizations, competence and continuing education, theory, autonomy sub-dimensions and total inventory score averages were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). In addition, the difference between the mean scores of the total HPDE or its sub-dimensions was found to be statistically significant according to the characteristics of the nurses such as age, gender, working time in the profession, and the way they worked (p<0.05). There is a positive and weakly significant relationship between the Professional Self Concept Scale for Clinical Nurses and Behavioral Inventory Related to Professional in Nursing (p<0.05). In the correlation of the sub-dimensions, the research, competence and continuing education of the inventory with the professional competency sub-dimension score average and among the autonomy subscales score averages; It was also found that there was a positive and weak correlation between the professional attitude and skill sub-dimension point average of the scale and the inventory's adequacy and continuing education and nursing codes sub-dimension mean scores (p<0.05). Conclusions and Recommendations: The education of nurses, the service they work, the time they work per day, and the status of receiving professional rewards positively affect the professional self-concept development and the level of professional behavior display; It has been found that the positive development of the professional self-concept of nurses can positively affect the level of professional behavior. Suggestions were made in the fields of nursing education, implementation and management to emphasize and support the features that affect these concepts. Key Words: Professionalism, Professional Self-Concept, Professionalism Behavior, Nursing