ASSERTIVENESS AS STRATEGY FOR ENHANCING NURSES’ WORK ATTITUDE IN OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Abstract Many patients are discouraged from seeking healthcare in public health institutions because of the general lukewarm attitude of nurses towards their job. Affluent patients would prefer to patronize private hospitals while the less privileged patronize quacks or suffer for lack of access. This study therefore examined the effectiveness of assertiveness training programme in enhancing work attitude of nurses. The study also investigated whether self-efficacy would moderate the effects of treatment on the criterion variable. Experimental design was employed in the study. The population consisted of all the nurses in five (5) State Hospitals in Ogun State Nigeria. Stratified random sampling technique was used to select one hundred and eight (108). Two validated instruments – Nurses Work Attitude Inventory and Self-Efficacy Scale were employed to elicit responses from the participants. Results revealed, level of self-efficacy had effect on work attitude of participants (F(1,95) = 4.568; p < 0.05). .The findings demonstrated that the treatment package could be used as veritable tools in equipping nurses with necessary skills that can enhance good work attitude. The implications of this research suggest that medical education curriculum planners, government health management board and personnel/industrial psychologists are expected to incorporate the contents of assertiveness skill into their training programmes. Understanding how assertiveness skill training programme influence attitudes, feelings and behaviours can help practitioners to provide the best quality of services for their clients.