Readiness for future managerial leadership roles

This study explored the values held by nursing students attending a baccalaureate program.
Our aim was to determine whether nursing students’ values change after being exposed to
educators as well as mentors and ethics education and after experiencing today’s challenging
work environment, with an emphasis on the organizational domain of the students’ values
set. The conceptual framework that underpins the approach to values presented in this
study argues that the total values set of a working person consists of three domains:
personal, professional, and organizational values. Our sample consisted of first, third, and
fourth year nursing students (N = 496) attending the Tel Aviv University in Israel. Participants
were requested to answer a questionnaire and to rate their perceived importance of 30 values.
The results revealed significant differences in the participants’ perceived importance of the three
values domains. The organizational values—the new business values—were perceived
significantly to be least important. Sex was found to be significantly related to perception of
values’ importance. Year of study was not found to be significantly correlated to perception of
values. The findings reflect that senior nursing students are only moderately prepared for their
future managerial leadership roles and point out the need to provide students with more
stimulating and supportive learning experiences.