Abstract
The purpose of this study was to clarify how visiting nurses perceived other visiting nurses' behaviors as role models and to discuss the characteristics of such behaviors. Questionnaires were mailed to 683 visiting nurses in Japan who agreed to participate in this study. The questionnaires consisted of two parts: (a) A yes/no question whether the respondent had a role model and an open-ended question about role model behaviors in home visiting and at the station, (b) The questions about demographic characteristics. Out of 376 received, 151 responses describing the role model behaviors of visiting nurses were analyzed by the qualitative analysis in nursing education based on Berelson's content analysis method. As a result, 26 categories of role model behaviors were clarified, which include "Judging to behave in any situation composedly, rapidly, correctly, and flexibly", "attending to everyone gently and courteously", and " offering satisfactory nursing services which both the home care client and his/her family most hope to have". The agreement rates calculated by the formula of W.A. Scott were over 70 percent; therefore the reliability of these 26 categories was confirmed. The results suggest that role model behaviors have 9 core characteristics, correspondent to those of the desirable visiting nurses, which are feasible to be used as a goal of career development for visiting nurses.
