Assertiveness and Self-esteem of Final Year Nursing Students: Effect of Psycho-Educational Nursing Intervention

Background: Nursing students- as the future professionals- who can behave
assertively develop self-worth, self-respect, and high self-esteem while communicating
professionally and practicing competently. Aim: This study aimed to assess the assertiveness
among final year nursing students; assess the self-esteem among final year nursing students;
and to assess the effect of psycho-educational nursing intervention implementation on
assertiveness and self-esteem of final year nursing students. Design: A quasi-experimental
study design on one group pre/post assessment was utilized on 45 final year nursing students
who were enrolled in psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing
Ain Shams University. Tools of data collection: The data was collected using an interview
questionnaire that included three sections as the following: 1) student's demographic
characteristics; 2) Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS); and 3) Rosenberg self-esteem
scale. Results: the current study revealed that: there were improvement in the studied
nursing students` levels of assertiveness and self-esteem post- psycho-educational nursing
intervention implementation; there were highly statistically significant differences between
assertiveness levels; and self-esteem levels of the studied nursing students pre- and post
psycho-educational nursing intervention implementation; as well, there was a highly
statistically significant direct correlation between levels self-esteem and assertiveness of the
studied students post psycho-educational nursing intervention implementation. Conclusion:
The study concluded that, the psycho-educational nursing intervention implementation had
positive effect on assertiveness and self-esteem of final year nursing students.
Recommendation: incorporating assertiveness training as an eligible training course of the
undergraduate nursing program