J Korean Acad Nurs Adm.  2017 Jun;23(3):290-300. 10.11111/jkana.2017.23.3.290.

Nurses' Knowledge of Law, Law Consciousness, and Will to Practice

• Lee MA
• Byeon KS
• Kang S

• KMID: 2386842
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.11111/jkana.2017.23.3.290

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate nurses' knowledge of the law, consciousness, and will to practice and the relationships among factors affecting the will to practice.
METHODS
A cross-sectional survey was conducted and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression.
RESULTS
Most respondents were women (93.9%) and 75.6% of them had received basic education on law. The average score on knowledge of the law was 11.83±3.07 for general law and 10.42±3.32 for nursing law. The average score on consciousness of law and will to practice was 2.50±0.31 and 4.32±0.58, respectively. Differences were observed in knowledge of the law in terms of having taken a refresher course(F=5.87, p=.003); in consciousness of the law in terms of knowledge of the law (F=6.61, p<.002); and in will to practice according to age (F=7.30, p=.007) and educational level (F=13.08, p<.001). Factors influencing will to practice included behavioral and cognitive consciousness, general knowledge of law, and education. These factors explained 24% of the variance.
CONCLUSION
Nurses knowledge and consciousness regarding law was relatively lower than their will to practice. Systematic law education for nurses and repetitive research are recommended to prevent nursing malpractice.

Keyword

Knowledge; Consciousness; Practice will; Law; Nurse

MeSH Terms

Consciousness*
Cross-Sectional Studies
Education
Female
Humans
Jurisprudence*
Malpractice
Nursing
Surveys and Questionnaires