Student nurses' perceptions of the development of interpersonal relationships

Abstract

This survey attempted to investigate • whether significant differences existed between the first and fourth year students’ perceptions about the espousal of positive interpersonal relationships • student nurses’ perceived role of tutors, preceptors and professional nurses in fostering the development of students nurses’ positive interpersonal relationships • student nurses’ espousal of positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients . First and fourth year student nurses in the Eastern Cape participated in this survey. Although more first than fourth year respondents contended that tutors, preceptors and professional nurses facilitated the development of student nurses’ interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients, no significant statistical difference could be established to support such a difference. On the espousal of positive interpersonal relationships vis-á-vis patients, friends and relatives of patients and amongst themselves as colleagues, both groups of respondents provided similar response profiles. A posteriori comparisons revealed no statistically significant differences in the response profiles between the first and fourth year respondents in their espousal of positive interpersonal relationships with colleagues, patients, friends and relatives of patients. The major inference drawn from this exploratory descriptive survey was that greater emphasis should be placed on student nurses’ development of positive interpersonal relationships in the Eastern Cape.