AUA SPH Publishes a Nationwide Assessment of the Nursing Profession in Armenia

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The American University of Armenia (AUA) is proud to share the publication of an article in the Nursing Journal of Management. The journal is an international peer-reviewed popular platform for scholarly debate on issues relating to the management of nurses and nursing. Serine Sahakyan, RN, MPH ‘15, Kristina Akopyan, MD, MPH ‘13, and Varduhi Petrosyan, MS, PhD, Dean of the Turpanjian School of Public Health (SPH), are the authors. The article addresses themes in the nursing profession in Armenia, such as the role of nurses in the Armenian healthcare system, the perceptions of that role by both nurses and Armenian society, as well as what is expected of nurses in the healthcare system. 

The article titled “Nurses role, importance and status in Armenia: a mixed-method study” presents findings from a nationwide assessment of nursing education, practice, and policy as a part of the Nursing in Armenia Project. The paper presents the results of a unique and unprecedented, comprehensive assessment of the nursing profession in Armenia conducted by the SPH in partnership with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing). 

The article demonstrates how the status of the nursing profession has been influenced by the medical hierarchy and subordination structures in Armenia. The findings highlight the importance of quality education, such as a bachelor degree in nursing, for preparing highly competent nurse managers. These professionals can then become role models in promoting nurses’ roles in the healthcare system, improving the professional and public image of nursing.

Along with several major findings regarding the reputation and status of nurses in Armenia, the article highlights empathy and compassion as inherent qualities of Armenian nurses. Such qualities of health providers play a critical role in patient-centered care.

The paper has received positive feedback from the journal editor and reviewers who have emphasized the importance of the study findings and publication to advance  nursing education, as well as to enhance the image of the nursing profession in Armenia and around the world.

The project was funded through Penn Nursing by Edele Hovnanian, University of Pennsylvania alumna and trustee of her family’s foundation, the Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation.

The AUA Turpanjian School of Public Health works actively to improve population health and health services in Armenia and beyond through interdisciplinary education and development of public health professionals to be leaders in public health, health services research and evaluation, and health care delivery and management.