Perceptions of nursing: a study involving nurses, nursing students, patients and non-nursing students

This paper describes a study of perceptions of nursing by nursing students, qualified nurses (United Kingdom and Spain), patients and non-nursing students. A survey method was used with a longitudinal panel element incorporating a 35-item version of the Nursing Dimensions Inventory translated into Spanish. Data were analysed using principal component analysis, congruence analysis, Mokken scaling, correlation, ANOVA, t-test and Cronbachʹs alpha. Patients may perceive nursing differently from nursing students, nurses (in the UK and Spain) and non-nurses. These findings are discussed in the context of nurse education and patient care.