Assertiveness and Self Esteem Among Nurses in a Tertiary Hospital in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Abstract

Assertiveness and self-esteem are essential elements of good communication in the nursing profession. Along with competent nursing technical skills and knowledge, these significant factors impact delivery of high-quality care. Nonassertive behavior and low self-esteem have been observed among nurses working in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The aim of this study was to describe the level of assertiveness and self-esteem among these nurses and examine the relationship between assertiveness and self-esteem. Quantitative non-experimental descriptive correlational design was utilized in this study. Demographic data, Assertive Behavior Inventory Tool (ABIT), and Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale (RSE) data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square test and Pearson's correlations were used to test relationships among variables. Results show that 100 nurse respondents were moderately assertive with a mean score of 75.61, and with moderately high self esteem showing a mean score of 21.08. Overall results showed that assertiveness has low positive correlation with self-esteem at 0.00 level of significance (r- 0.31). Nurse respondents that are older, Indians and African, nurses who are working in the Outpatient Department and nurses that have the longest working experience were shown to have higher levels of assertiveness, while both males and female respondents had the same results of moderately high assertiveness levels. There was a significant relationship between assertiveness and their demographic profiles, while there was none between the levels of self-esteem and their demographic profiles. The findings also suggested that assertiveness and self-esteem were positively and significantly correlated. Nurses are recommended to have regular assessments of their assertiveness as this affects self-esteem levels which result in effective therapeutic communication skills. Assertiveness training workshops or other interventions that would empower and improve the levels of assertiveness and self esteem could be initiated.