Student nurses in West Malaysia - a case -study

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Date
1976-10
Authors
Kim Lean, Cheah
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Abstract
This is a study of nurses in Penang General Hospital and its related School of Nursing. It provides a comprehensive picture of bow nurses in West Malaysia are recruited, then trained and socialized into the nursing profession. The kinds of problems that are faced by the nurses, the development and changes that have taken place in the profession and the formal structure of the nursing profession are examined. Data were obtained 1) while observing the students in the school of nursing, 2) while observing nurses at work in the hospital and at leisure in the hostels, 3) through participating in selected of the non-professional activities of nurses, 4) through the use of intensive interviewing and questionnaire··techniques, and 5) through the examination of.school records, official documents and various periodicals. Approximately six months were spent·in the field with the nurses while obtaining data. The changing profile of the nursing profession in Malaysia, (particularly evident since 1970) is related to the changes occurring in the ethnic composition and the socio-economic backgrounds of the nursing recruits, changes in the medium of instruction in the school and changes in the academic qualifications required of nursing recruits. These changes reflect the political and social trends occurring in the country, and the direction of change is towards an increase in the participation of Malays and rural individuals in the profession. This is in line with the government's attempt to create a more effective balance in ethnic and regional representation in nursing in Malaysia. Another change occurring involves the expansion of nursing training. In order to cater for the needs of increasing numbers of patients -- as pati·ent attitudes and values towards modern medicine change -- measures have been taken to overcome the shortage of nurses. These include the introduction of "crash programs" and the shortening of the training period from three years and four months to thr.ee years. Simultaneously, a bursary system has been introduced to prevent students from dropping out of training and to help guarantee that they will serve the government after they qualify. Such changes have emerged in response to the solution of specific prohlems yet they have also created new sets of problems. These concern the lowering of standards of nursing, communication problem between Malay-speaking student nurses and English speaking doctors and senior nurses, and problems of dislocation as rural recruits come to study in an urban environment. A sequential process is involved in the socialization of adults i~to an occupational role. The processes examined in this thesis have to do with the initiation of recruits into the profession, via the professional school, the changing of earlier attitudes and preconceptions towards the profession as recruits are exposed to the realities of professional work situations; the emergence of' crises in relation to the professional trainees' role, her position in the organization, her relationships with superiors and with patients; and the learning and internalization of the cultural content, skills, and behavioural patterns of the profession. As students pass through the various stages of socialization they encounter problems that relate to their backgrounds, the shortage of nursing staff, inade~uate facilities, the authority system of the hospital and the unfavourable attitudes of patients, and the public, towards nurses. In general this study, provides relevant understandings of nursing in the Malaysian context. So far no other studies of this kind are available. The nursing training program in Malaysia is geared towards developing abilities and shaping the attitudes of nurses to cope with local needs. Nurses here are trained to be general nurses so that they can handle rural health clinics on their own and work in any ward in the district or general hospitals, in any part of the country.
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West Malaysia - a case -study
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