Attitudes and Factors Influencing the Nursing Professional Program Students’ Toward Vital Signs Monitoring

Abstract

Introduction: Monitoring vital signs (VS) is a key nursing responsibility for early detection of clinical deterioration and ensuring patient safety. Although VS measurements—such as body temperature, pulse, respiratory rate, and blood pressure—are simple, they are essential indicators. Nursing students are introduced to VS monitoring early in their education, but their attitudes vary depending on individual and contextual factors.

Method: This cross-sectional and descriptive study included all active professional nursing students at Universitas Padjadjaran, Universitas Muhammadiyah Kalimantan Timur, Universitas Riau, and Universitas Advent Indonesia using total sampling. Data were collected online from July to August 2025 via an anonymous questionnaire containing demographic questions and the 16-item V-Scale across five domains. Attitudes were measured using a five-point Likert scale, and data were analyzed with SPSS 26 using descriptive statistics.

Results: Most students showed moderate (59.5%) or positive (40.5%) attitudes, with no negative attitudes. In the five dimensions, the majority reported moderate attitudes in workload, technology, knowledge, and key indicators, while almost all students showed positive attitudes in communication (93.5%).

Conclusions: Nursing students generally hold moderate to positive attitudes toward VS monitoring. Although demographic factors did not significantly affect overall attitudes, certain variables influenced specific dimensions, indicating the multidimensional nature of attitudes. Promoting positive attitudes requires enhancing knowledge, reinforcing professional values, and providing clinical experience-based coping strategies through a holistic educational approach.