Determination of perception levels of student nurses about nursing diagnosis

Abstract Objective: The current study was undertaken in order to determine perception levels of student nurses about nursing diagnosis. Methods: This descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted with 386 volunteer nursing students studying in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. The data were collected with a Personal Information Form assessing opinions about nursing diagnosis and Perceptions of Nursing Diagnosis Survey and were analyzed using percentages, means, ANOVA, T tests, LSD post-hoc test. Results: Of the 386 nursing students, 317 (82%) were female and 321 (83%) considered themselves as competent as to make diagnosis and nearly all of them thought that diagnosis is useful in practice and necessary for nurses. Also, 268(69%) of nursing students thought that nursing diagnosis was useful in providing planned, correct and systemized diagnosis. Mean total scale score of students was M=2.66±44.70. Mean total score of perception of nursing diagnosis of female students was high (t:-2.803 p:0.005). Conclusion: The study revealed that all students' perception levels of nursing diagnosis were positive and that the students who felt themselves sufficient to make nursing diagnosis were more positive about the definition and recognition perception of nursing profession. Keywords: Nursing care, nursing diagnosis, students.