NURSES PERCEPTION ABOUT THE PUBLIC IMAGE OF A NURSE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY.

Nurses are the frontiers at all levels of care in the health care industry. However, nurses do not receive due recognition and are viewed as feminine, caring professionals with limited career opportunities. This study was conducted to explore nurses’ perception about the public image of a nurse. Fifty nurses conveniently selected from six different departmental cohort groups of a tertiary hospital were administered a tool to gather baseline information and an open ended question on nurse’s perception about the public image. Data obtained were organized, coded, sorted and themes such as technical skills, professional qualification requirements, intellectual-cognitive skills, emotional skills, interpersonal skills, professional status, professional attitude, extra-professional roles of a nurse, nurse visa-vis medical professionals, angel of mercy and prospectus for nurses identified. There is a wide variation in the perception across different dimensions. The study recommends identification of the nurses’ perception of this public image and the influence on professional behaviours among nurses working in varied settings.