An Analysis Of The Needs Of Re-Entry Nurses As Perceived By Re-Entry Nurses, Nurse Educators, And Nurse Administrators

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed in the perceptions of re-entry nurses, nurse educators, and nurse administrators with regard to the needs of women who wish to become re-employed in the nursing field. Specific barriers to re-entry and perceived needs in terms of skills and knowledge were examined. Procedure. The sample for the study included inactive nurses, nurse educators and nurse administrators from 13 counties within California. The inactive nurse (re-entry) group was selected from the rosters of three continuing education programs. The nurse educator and nurse administrator groups were randomly selected from a population of names provided by the Board of Registered Nurses and the State Department of Health. A Re-entry Nurse Questionnaire was used for data collection. This three-part questionnaire was designed to assess the barriers to re-entry and the knowledge and skills deemed important for re-entry. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey method of multiple comparisons were used to determine significant differences among the groups. Findings. There were significant differences in the perceptions among the three groups with regard to one half the barriers to re-entry and three of the knowledges and eight of the skills important for re-entry. Recommendations for Further Research. It is recommended that further research include: (1) studies to evaluate the self confidence level of nurses who have returned to nursing, (2) an analysis of the relationships between re-entry and employed nurses, (3) a pilot study for a model re-entry program established within the present educational structure, and (4) an analysis of the viability of the intermittent contractual agreement for nursing manpower planning