Attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards violence against women and their occupational roles in addressing violence

Abstract

Aim: This study was performed in order to determine the attitudes of nursing students towards violence against women (VAW) and their occupational roles in addressing violence. Method: This descriptive study was conducted on nursing students (n=108) at a State University in Ankara, Turkey. 1) Personal information form, 2) The attitudes towards VAW, and 3) The attitudes towards occupational role VAW scale were used for data collection. In data evaluation, frequencies, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test for independent samples and one-way analysis of variance tests were used. Results: The mean age of the students was 20.13±1.17 (min: 18, max: 26). It was determined that the mean of the VAW attitudes of the students of nursing is 74.15±12.01. The attitudes of the students were found far from the modern view. Female students were closer to the conservative view (p<0.05). The mean of attitude of the students related to the occupational role is 70.24±9.30. The students were did not have a tendency for supportive occupation roles towards VAW. Students’ age, parents’ education and profession, income level, and residence were not found to influence the attitude towards VAW and their occupational roles in addressing violence (p> 0.05). Conclusion: As a result of this study, non-contemporary attitudes and disapprove occupational roles towards VAW are still a major problem among nursing students. The nursing students should be educated in terms of awareness and knowledge towards VAW.