A concept analysis of professional commitment in nursing

The effect of nursing services management efficiency on nurses' professional commitment: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To determine the effect of nurses' perceptions of the effectiveness of nursing services management on their professional commitment.

BACKGROUND

Effective healthcare management is crucial for improving patient care quality. Understanding nurses' perspectives on nursing services management and their commitment provides valuable insights for management strategies, improving well-being and healthcare outcomes.

METHODS

This descriptive, cross-sectional, and correlational study involved 265 state hospital nurses. Data were collected between November 2020 and June 2021 using descriptive characteristic form, Nursing Services Management Effectiveness Scale, and Nursing Professional Commitment Scale. This study adhered to the STROBE checklist.

RESULTS

Nurses' views on the effectiveness of nursing services management and their professional commitment were found to be influenced by age, professional experience, and institutional positions. The average scores for nursing services management perception and professional commitment were 2.65 ± 0.72 and 66.63 ± 12.40, respectively. A statistically significant positive and low-level correlation was observed between nurses' nursing services management perception and professional commitment scores. Nurses' positive perception of nursing services management explains 17.1% of the variance in nurses' professional commitment levels.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

This study outlines how nurses' views on effective nursing services management can enhance their professional commitment. Managers should contribute to increase nursing services management efficacy by eliminating deficiencies in management practices to make their institutions successful and to increase their employees' professional commitment level.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY

Assuming positive perceptions of nursing management increase nurses' professional commitment, developing policies to boost organizational support is vital. Managers should focus on improving nursing services management to increase organizational success, increase nurses' professional commitment, and achieve the best health outcomes by eliminating management deficiencies.

The impact of psychological resilience on professional commitment among caregiving students in Taiwan: A cross-sectional study

AIM/OBJECTIVE

To explore the impact of psychological resilience and its dimensions on professional commitment among caregiving students in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND

Professional commitment is crucial in caregiving professions, yet its relationship with psychological resilience among caregiving students in Taiwan remains underexplored. Understanding this relationship can guide educational strategies to enhance students' professional commitment.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted.

METHODS

The study included 258 students from 23 colleges specializing in caregiver programs in Taiwan in 2021. A stratified random sampling method was used. Data were collected using the Resilience Scale for Adults (measuring dimensions like personal strengths, social resources, and family resources) and the Professional Commitment Scale. Validity and reliability were confirmed through expert review, item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and internal consistency analysis.

RESULTS

Personal strengths emerged as the strongest predictor of professional commitment (β = 0.26), followed by participation in extracurricular activities (β = 0.13). Background factors such as college type and experience in campus club explained 13 % of the variance in professional commitment (adjusted R2 = 0.13). Future organizational style, family resources, and personal strengths explained an additional 2.0 %, 2.0 %, and 3.0 % of the variance, respectively, leading to a total explanatory power of 24.0 %.

CONCLUSIONS

To improve caregivers' future professional commitment, it is recommended that caregiving programs focus on enhancing students' psychological resilience and encourage their participation in extracurricular activities.

Psychological Distress as a Mediator Between Work-Family Conflict and Nurse Managers' Professional and Organizational Turnover Intentions

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the mediating role of psychological distress in the relationship between work-family conflict and nurse managers' (NMs') professional and organizational turnover intentions.

BACKGROUND

Work-family conflict is prevalent among NMs. It can have a significant impact on their intent to leave their organization and the profession. However, the role of psychological distress as a potential mediator in the relationship between work-family conflict and turnover intentions has not been studied in the context of NMs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was used, and data were collected from a sample of 260 NMs using self-report questionnaires.

RESULTS

NMs experienced a moderate level of work-family conflict and psychological distress. Organizational turnover intention was moderate, whereas professional turnover intention was low. Higher levels of work-family conflict among NMs contributed to increased psychological distress, which, in effect, influenced their desire to leave the organization.

CONCLUSION

To support NMs and mitigate turnover intentions, healthcare organizations need to prioritize the creation of a work environment that promotes work-life balance and reduces psychological distress.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the professional commitment of male nursing students in China: a descriptive comparative study

BACKGROUND

The social culture, gender stereotypes, and social status of nursing in China impact the professional commitment of male nursing students. Increasing the professional commitment of male nursing students is critical for alleviating the shortage of nurses and addressing the gender gap. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread public concern about the nursing profession and may have changed people's perception of the profession, which in turn may have a positive impact on the professional commitment of male nursing students in China.

OBJECTIVE

This research aimed to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the professional commitment of male nursing students in China and to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on potential factors that might affect their professional commitment.

METHODS

A descriptive comparative study was conducted. This study involved total 368 male nursing students from five 4-year universities in Henan Province, China. 190 male nursing students were included before the COVID-19 pandemic (October to November 2019) and 178 were included after the COVID-19 pandemic (April to May 2023). The data, such as the sociodemographic characteristics and professional commitment of the two samples, were collected using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The research instruments used included the Professional Commitment Scale, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support and the General Self-efficacy Scale. The data analysis employed χ2-tests, t-tests and hierarchical regression models.

RESULTS

The proportion of Chinese male nursing students who are interested in nursing and do not intend to leave the major has increased after the pandemic (65.17% vs. 29.47%, 61.80% vs. 39.47%, respectively). Male nursing students exhibited greater professional commitment (3.30 ± 0.63) after the pandemic compared to before the pandemic (2.77 ± 0.43). The various factors, such as grade, intend to leave the major, interest in nursing, social support, and general self-efficacy, were linked to professional commitment of male nursing students in China.

CONCLUSIONS

Male nursing students in China exhibited greater professional commitment after the pandemic. This phenomenon may be attributed to the public's increased recognition of the significance of nursing work during the pandemic, and the social status and image of nursing profession have been improved. Given the changes brought about by the COVID-19, strategies should be considered by nursing decision makers and schools to strengthen the professional commitment of male nursing students and increase the number of male nurses in the post-pandemic era.

The relationships among career adaptability, career commitment, career identity, and career well-being in Chinese nursing undergraduates: A longitudinal study

Exploring the longitudinal relationship between career adaptability, career commitment, career identity, and career well-being among Chinese undergraduate nursing students. A mediation effect analysis was performed. The Career Adaptability Scale, the Chinese version of Career commitment, the Career identity Scale, and the Career well-being Scale were used as research instruments. Six hundred ninety-two nursing students were followed up in two waves to explore the relationships among career adaptability, career commitment, career identity, and career well-being. Model comparison was performed to explore the differences in such relationships between low and high-career interests. Career commitment at T1 mediated the relationship between career adaptability at T1 and career identity at T2 and that between career adaptability at T1 and career well-being at T2. Significant differences were observed between the mediation models of nursing students with high and low career interests. Career commitment plays a longitudinal mediator role in the relationship between career adaptability and career identity and the relationship between career adaptability and career well-being.

The association between school educational atmosphere, learning engagement, and professional commitment of nursing students, and learning engagement as the mediator

BACKGROUND

The current shortage and loss of nurses has become a significant problem in healthcare systems around the world. Professional commitment is essential to prevent the loss of nursing staff and stabilize the nursing workforce.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the unique relationship between school educational atmosphere, learning engagement, and professional commitment, and whether learning engagement would mediate the relationship between educational atmosphere and professional commitment.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study design was used.

SETTINGS

The participants came from six schools in four cities in Hubei Province, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1009 nursing students above the first year of undergraduate studies were included by convenient sampling method.

METHODS

Data were collected using the Educational Climate Inventory, the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-student, and the Professional Commitment Scale. Pearson correlation was used to examine the relationship between educational atmosphere, learning engagement, and professional commitment. Mediation analysis was used to test whether learning engagement mediated the relationship between educational atmosphere and professional commitment.

RESULTS

A positive educational atmosphere was associated with a high level of learning engagement, which was associated with a higher level of professional commitment. Learning engagement mediated the relationship between educational atmosphere and professional commitment.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide empirical evidence for promoting professional commitment in nursing students. Learning engagement is an important mediating variable connecting educational atmosphere and professional commitment. In order to stabilize the career choices of nursing students, it is necessary to take measures to improve their learning engagement during school.

Predictive factors of turnover intention of newly graduated nurses in their first year of employment: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

The turnover of newly graduated nurses is a severe challenge for healthcare systems, and so it is essential to identify its predictive factors. This study investigates whether professional commitment, career adaptability, career self-efficacy, anxiety, and depression levels before and after internship can predict the turnover intention of newly graduated nurses after one year of employment.

METHODS

In a longitudinal study, 271 undergraduate nursing students recruited by convenience sampling were surveyed before internship (T1), after internship (T2), and after one year of employment (T3), with all surveys conducted on the Wenjuanxing survey platform ( www.wjx.cn ). Generalized linear models and restricted cubic spline models were used to explore possible linear and nonlinear relationships between turnover intention and the variables of interest.

RESULTS

Professional commitment both pre-internship (β = -0.060, p = 0.007, 95% CI [- 0.104, - 0.016]) and post-internship (β = -0.053, p = 0.015, 95% CI [- 0.096, - 0.010]) can negatively predict turnover intention. There is also a negative linear relationship between post-internship career self-efficacy and turnover intention (β = -0.308, p < 0.001, 95% CI [- 0.436, - 0.180]). In addition, professional commitment both pre-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.046, p = 0.004) and post-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.068, p < 0.001), career self-efficacy both pre-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.039, p = 0.008) and post-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.116, p < 0.001), career adaptability both pre-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.057, p < 0.001) and post-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.039, p = 0.008), anxiety both pre-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.035, p = 0.014) and post-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.048, p = 0.003), and depression levels both pre-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.031, P nonlinear = 0.021) and post-internship (adjusted R2 = 0.053, p = 0.002) are nonlinearly associated with turnover intention.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing educators and clinical care administrators must take action to enhance the professional commitment and career self-efficacy of nursing students during their internship. It is also important to pay attention to their career adaptability, as well as to any anxiety or depression that they may experience during clinical practice. This can help to reduce the turnover intention during the first year of their nursing career.

The nurses' perception of the factors influencing professional misconduct: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Professional misconduct undermines safe and quality care; however, little is known about its nature and influential factors.

AIM

This study aimed to explain the factors influencing professional misconduct in nurses.

RESEARCH DESIGN

This qualitative study was conducted using the conventional content analysis method.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with 19 nurses working in the hospital selected through a purposeful method and analyzed by Graneheim and Lundman approach.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The ethics committee of Tehran University of Medical Sciences approved this study with the ethics code IR.TUMS.FNM.REC.1400.187. Informed consent was obtained from all participants. Participants were assured of confidentiality.

FINDINGS

Factors influencing professional misconduct by nurses were categorized into three main categories: human factors (nurses' professional characteristics, personal characteristics of nurses and patient/companion, patient's clinical condition), procedural factors (procedural conditions, possibility of proving misconduct), and organizational factors (recruitment process, conditions of resources, managing misconduct, bureaucracy, and ward characteristics).

CONCLUSION

This study assists in explaining the factors influencing professional misconduct by nurses. Therefore this study's results can help managers and planners develop interventions to prevent and correct factors that contribute to misconduct and strengthen factors that prevent misconduct in order to ensure quality and safe patient care.

Newly graduated nurses' commitment to the nursing profession and their workplace during their first year of employment: A focused ethnography

BACKGROUND

The commitment of nurses to their profession and workplace is closely linked to the delivery of high-quality patient care. Existing literature highlights the positive impact of commitment on care quality and patient outcomes. Conversely, a lack of commitment can lead to nurse burnout and disengagement. However, it remains unclear whether and how cultural beliefs and practices influence newly graduated nurses' commitment to the nursing profession and their workplace.

AIM

To explore the cultural beliefs and practices influencing newly graduated nurses' commitment to the profession and commitment to their workplace during their first year of employment.

DESIGN

A focused ethnographic study.

METHODS

Data consisted of field notes from 94 h of participant observations and 10 semi-structured interviews with newly graduated nurses working in acute care settings in Denmark. Data were analysed using ethnographic content analysis. Data were collected between March and June 2022.

RESULTS

The findings reveal a major theme, termed 'A State of Transience among Newly Graduated Nurses', consisting of two themes: 'Newly Graduated Nurses' Pursuit of Professional Development and Supportive Work Environments' and 'A Lack of Formal Agreements or Conditions to Meet Expectations for Professional Development.'

CONCLUSION

Hospitals and nurse managers need to support newly graduated nurses in their first employment after registration by providing a range of clinical experiences through job rotation opportunities within the same organization, deliver on promises for onboarding support and foster a culture of trust. These strategies will help maintain the motivation, commitment and ability of newly graduated nurses to deliver high-quality patient care, thereby reducing the likelihood of turnover.

RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

A trusting and supportive work environment is fostered by providing diverse clinical experiences and consistent support for newly graduated nurses. To address potential high turnover associated with job rotation, hospitals need to rethink how retention is defined and measured, moving beyond hospital unit-level models and measures.

REPORTING METHOD

This study reports to the SRQR guidelines.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

No patient or public contribution.

The Association Between Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Perception of Nursing Professional Autonomy and Nursing Professionalism: A Descriptive Correlational Design

Introduction

The evolving landscape of healthcare in Jordan presents unique challenges and opportunities for nursing professionals. With a focus on critical care nurses, understanding the dynamics of professional autonomy and professionalism within this context is crucial for advancing nursing practice and improving patient care.

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between perceived nursing professional autonomy and professionalism among critical care nurses in Jordan.

Methods

A descriptive correlation design was used among critical care nurses from five major Jordanian governmental hospitals. A total of 227 questionnaires were distributed, with a final sample size of 200 participants. Data were collected between August and September 2023. Professional autonomy and professionalism were measured using the Dempster Practice Behaviors Scale and the Nurses' Professionalism Inventory, respectively. We used the STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines in the current study.

Results

The study revealed moderate levels of perceived professional autonomy (mean DPBS total score: 103.94) and professionalism (mean NPI total score: 119.12) among participants. A significant positive correlation (r = .49, p < .001) was observed between these two constructs. However, demographic and work-related factors showed minimal influence on these perceptions.

Conclusion

The study highlights the importance of professional autonomy and professionalism in improving nursing care in Jordan. It recommends targeted approaches like ongoing education and supportive workplace policies to bolster these aspects. These findings have significant implications for nursing policy and education across various healthcare settings.

Dialogues with human books to promote professional commitment and learning among first-year nursing students: A mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND

First-year nursing students in Taiwan typically have a limited understanding of nursing as they initiate their studies. Curriculum demands can be overpowering, and students may become averse to developing a positive commitment toward nursing. One strategy to assist in inculcating professional commitment is the integration of a Living Library with "human books."

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the effects of interacting with human books on first-year nursing students in terms of their professional commitment, learning motivation, and learning career adaptability.

DESIGN

A mixed-methods, pretest-posttest study design was used.

METHODS

The convenience sampling method was used to recruit 46 students with the following eligible criteria: enrolled in an introductory nursing course, first-year students in the 2022-2023 academic year, and willingness to participate in the study. Participants interacted twice for 20-30 min using self-regulated learning with human books. Quantitative outcomes were professional commitment, learning motivation, and learning career adaptability using the IBM SPSS Statistics V28.0 for statistical analysis. Qualitative outcomes came from the content analysis of written feedback.

RESULTS

Participants experienced a significant improvement in their professional commitment, learning motivation, and learning career adaptability after engaging with human books. Contents analysis of feedback showed four categories: Professed value for nursing, motivation to pursue a career in nursing, reflection and transformation, and positive career possibilities and expectations.

CONCLUSION

Human books offer a novel strategy for nursing students to learn from real-life experiences to enhance professional commitment and learning for a nursing career.

Nursing Professional Commitment as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Work Environment and Missed Nursing Care Among Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Introduction

Nursing care plays a pivotal role in promoting patient well-being and optimizing health outcomes. The nursing profession is characterized by its commitment to delivering high-quality care to patients.

Objective

The purpose of the study was to explore the role of nursing professional commitment as a mediator between the work environment and missed nursing care.

Methods

A cross-sectional analysis study "STROBE guideline" used an online structured questionnaire to collect data. It was conducted on a sample of 813 nurses who worked at seven governmental hospitals in Egypt, in the hospital wards, operating rooms, intensive care unit (ICU) or outpatient clinics, during a 4-month period from April to August 2022. Researchers used Characteristics of nurses, Nursing Work Index-Revised, Nursing Professional Commitment Scale, and MISSCARE Questionnaire to collect the data. Structural equation modeling by AMOS was used for testing nursing professional commitment as a mediator between the work environment and missed nursing care. Nurses' professional commitment was used as a mediator between work environment and missing nursing care.

Results

The working environment has a direct impact of -0.175, an indirect impact of -0.139, and a total impact of -0.314. Furthermore, professional commitment has a direct impact of -0.421. Additionally, when the working environment increases by 1, professional commitment increases by 0.33. Similarly, when the working environment increases by 1, missed care decreases by 0.175. Moreover, when professional commitment, as a mediating factor, increases by 1, missed care decreases by 0.421.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the findings of this study highlight the significant role of professional commitment as an intermediary factor between the working environment and missed nursing care. According to these results, it is necessary to formulate and implement intervention strategies to improve nurses' professional commitment and working environment, which is the key to reducing their missed nursing care.

Prospective association between perceived stress and anxiety among nursing college students: the moderating roles of career adaptability and professional commitment

BACKGROUND

Anxiety may stay with nursing students throughout their internship and even persist afterwards. Although many studies have explored the effects of perceived stress on anxiety, the relationship between pre-internship perceived stress and post-internship anxiety levels has not been clarified. In addition, none had focused on the moderating roles of career adaptability and professional commitment between perceived stress and anxiety. This study aims to investigate the influence of pre-internship perceived stress on the post-internship anxiety level of nursing college students, and to analyze the moderating effects of career adaptability and professional commitment on their relationships.

METHODS

A longitudinal study design was employed. Full-time nursing college students from a Chinese medical university were recruited by convenient sampling. All surveys were conducted via Wen Juan Xing ( www.wjx.cn ), a widely used web-based survey platform in China. Two waves of surveys were collected in the pre-internship and post-internship periods, with an interval of one year. Among 823 nursing students recruited, 692 students completed all two waves of the survey (response rate: 84.08%). Participants completed a series of questionnaires examining general demographic characteristics, perceived stress, anxiety, career adaptability, and professional commitment both before and after the internship. The bias-corrected bootstrap technique of the Hayes PROCESS macro (Model 2) was used to test the moderation effect.

RESULTS

Pre-internship perceived stress was positively associated with post-internship anxiety (β = 0.474, p < 0.001). Career adaptability would mitigate the effect of perceived stress on anxiety (β = -0.009, p < 0.01, 95% CI = [-0.013, -0.004]), and this influence became stronger for nursing college students with higher levels of career adaptability. Instead, the professional commitment would enhance the effect of perceived stress on anxiety (β = 0.004, p < 0.05, 95% CI = [0.001, 0.009]).

CONCLUSIONS

Adequate career adaptability was key to alleviating anxiety among nursing interns. Nursing educators and clinical nursing managers should pay attention to cultivating the career adaptability of nursing college students in order to help them successfully achieve identity transformation and career development. Meanwhile, it is crucial to guide them to develop appropriate professional commitment.

The relationship between nurses fear of COVID-19, professional commitment and tendencies to medical errors

Aim

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between nurses' fear of COVID-19, professional commitment and medical error tendency.

Methods

This study was use correlational research design with 312 nurses in January-April 2021. Data were collected online using a demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the Professional Commitment Scale (PCS), and the Scale of Tendency to Medical Errors (STME). The study was approved by ethics committee. Number, mean, and standard deviation were used for sociodemographic variables. Participants' FCV-19S, PCS, and STME scores were calculated. The correlations between scale scores were determined using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman correlation analysis.

Results

Participants had a mean FCV-19S, PCS, and STME score of 19±8.17, 72.21±13.58, and 4.58±0.51, respectively. FCV-19S scores were weakly and positively correlated with PCS overall score (r=0.200, p<0.001), "willingness to make an effort (r=0.273, p<0.001)" and "belief in goals and values (r=0.115, p=0.043)" subscale scores. FCV-19S scores were weakly and positively correlated with STME "communication (r=0.119, p=0.036)" subscale score.

Conclusion

Nurses who feared more about COVID-19 were found to have higher professional commitment, greater willingness to make an effort, and stronger belief in goals and values. Nurses who feared more COVID-19 were less likely to make communication-related medical errors.

The mediating role of professional commitment between the clinical learning environment and learning engagement of nursing students in clinical practice: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Previous studies have shown that learning engagement can significantly predict nursing students' academic achievement. Nursing educators put considerable effort into assessing and promoting students' engagement in school. However, nursing students' learning engagement in clinical practice has seldom been explored.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate nursing students' learning engagement and influencing factors in clinical practice and examine the effects of the clinical learning environment and professional commitment on learning engagement, specifically to verify the mediation effect of professional commitment.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTINGS

The participants were from five hospitals in Jining, Shandong, China.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 318 nursing students who were at the end of clinical practice training (>8 months) were included in this study.

METHODS

The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students, the Clinical Learning Environment for Nursing Scale, and the Professional Commitment Scale were used for data collection. Regression and mediating analyses were used to explore the influencing factors of clinical learning engagement and the potential mediating role of professional commitment.

RESULTS

The participants experienced moderate levels of engagement in clinical learning. The clinical learning environment indirectly affected nursing students' learning engagement in clinical practice through professional commitment. Night shifts and educational background also contributed to learning engagement.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings provide new perspectives on promoting nursing students' clinical learning engagement. Professional commitment might be an important mediating variable in nursing education. There is a need to take steps to improve professional commitment of nursing students.

Professional commitment and willingness to care for people living with HIV among undergraduate nursing students: The mediating role of empathy

BACKGROUND

As future registered nurses, undergraduate students play a vital role in integrated care for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; hence, there is a need to examine factors that can increase their willingness to care for persons with such conditions.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the relationship among nursing professional commitment, empathy, and willingness to care for people living with human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among undergraduate student nurses, and the mediating role of empathy in this relationship.

DESIGN

Quantitative, cross-sectional design.

SETTINGS

Nursing schools from five provinces of China, including Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Henan, and Hebei.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 747 undergraduate student nurses were recruited via cluster sampling.

METHODS

Online survey was used to collect data. Nursing Willingness Questionnaire, Professional Commitment Scale, and Jefferson Scale of Empathy were the scales used to measure the variables. Structural equation modeling was used to determine significant relationships.

RESULTS

Respondents' professional commitment and empathy demonstrated moderate positive associations with willingness to care. Empathy demonstrated a 21 % mediating effect on the effect of professional commitment and willingness to care (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Findings highlight the enabling role of professional commitment and empathy in improving undergraduate student nurses' willingness to care for persons living with human deficiency virus. Nurse educators can help improve the impact of students' professional commitment on their willingness by using educational strategies that enhance their empathy.

A four-year longitudinal evaluation study of nursing image, self-esteem, and profession perception among nursing students

PURPOSE

This study aimed to investigate nursing students' nursing image, self-esteem, and profession perception over their 4 years of study.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This longitudinal study was conducted during 2016 and 2020 education terms. This study was conducted with the same group of students in their first year and fourth year on the nursing faculty in Turkey. Scale for the Image of the Nursing Profession, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Inventory, and Perception of Nursing Profession Scale were used to collect research data.

FINDINGS

Nursing education process have a significant positive effect on the perception of the profession and a negative effect on nursing image and self-esteem.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Targeted interventions should cultivate nursing image, promote self-esteem, and enrich the nursing curriculum to improve nursing students' profession perception.

The Influence of Workplace Factors on the Nursing Work Environment: A Study Before and After COVID-19

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the world and healthcare settings, particularly regarding onerous job responsibilities and changes in work culture for nurses. Nurses, known to provide skilled, compassionate, and humanitarian care to patients and families, require continual assistance and organization. Nurses must work in a good environment that encourages them to achieve their highest levels of performance and productivity to offer high-quality and safe care. Commitment to a nursing career necessitates professional dedication especially during times of crisis, as is in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Objectives: The study looked at the elements that influenced nursing work culture at Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Humanitarian City (SBAHC) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 epidemic. Leadership, satisfaction, teamwork, nurse behaviour in practice, and professional commitment were among these elements. The factors are interrelated together and help in shaping the nursing work culture considering the COVID-19 scenario.

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2020, covering a period before the outbreak of COVID-19 and a period after. The study, conducted at SBAHC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, followed a quantitative, positivist approach undertaken in two phases utilizing an analytical survey design before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. An initial electronic survey was distributed to 439 nurses at SBAHC nursing units. Three hundred twenty-two nurses participated in the first survey and the second survey responses after COVID-19 were 205 nurses.

Results: There was a significant difference between the two groups in their responses (p<0.05). In all five scales used, the score of mean declined in the ‘after' group, clearly showing the effect of all the five elements that influence nursing work culture due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion: The study concluded that the workplace factors influencing the nursing work environment were greatly affected due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia. The findings of this study should be considered by nurse managers and leaders when drafting the policies and programs to reduce the negative impact of COVID-19 on nurse retention. It should also provide baseline information that will allow health authorities to prioritize training programs that will support nurses during difficult times.

What Quality of Care Means? Exploring Clinical Nurses’ Perceptions on the Concept of Quality Care: A Qualitative Study

Quality is a multidimensional issue involving various features that depend on service performance and personal assessment. Clarifying the concept of quality is essential in order to further facilitate the understanding and improvement of quality in healthcare. The purpose of this study was to investigate how clinical nurses, providing care to adult medical patients, perceive and define the concept of quality nursing care. A descriptive qualitative research design was applied. A purposive sampling strategy was used to recruit nurses from the clinical sector of a general public hospital in Athens, Greece. Ten female nurses from the medical sector participated the study. Data collection was conducted through in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the verbatim data. Four categories were revealed from the data analysis, namely: (a) “Quality care is holistic care”, (b) “Good care is an interpersonal issue”, (c) “Leadership is crucial”, and (d) “Best care is our responsibility”. Quality care was defined as holistic care, addressing all patient needs with competency and aiming for the best patient outcomes. It was associated with communication, teamwork, good leadership, and personal commitment. By developing an in-depth and mutual understanding about what quality means, nurse leaders and practitioners may collaborate in finding common paths to support quality interventions and enhance quality nursing care in clinical practice.

Factors affecting Iranian nurses' intention to leave or stay in the profession during the COVID-19 pandemic

AIM

This study was conducted to explore the factors affecting nurses' intentions to leave or stay in their profession during the coronavirus pandemic in Iran.

INTRODUCTION

Because the effectiveness of a healthcare response to a disaster depends on an available, skilled, and motivated healthcare workforce, it is essential to understand and address potential barriers to and reasons for the intentions of medical staff to leave or stay in their profession.

METHODS

A qualitative study with a conventional content analysis approach was conducted. The participants included nurses working in hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and nurses who had previously left their job or had been absent from work for a period of time. The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling strategy. Data were collected through 19 in-depth, individual semi-structured interviews with 16 nurses. The COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research checklist was used to report the study.

FINDINGS

Three categories; commitment and work conscience (with a subcategory of risk-taking), fear (with two subcategories of fear of family infection and fear of protective equipment shortages), and organizational factors (with two subcategories of organizational atmosphere of the hospital and motivational factors), emerged from the analysis.

CONCLUSION

The reasons for quitting a nursing job or to keep working as a nurse during the pandemic include both personal and organizational factors. Commitment and work conscience in pandemic conditions is one of the main factors for keeping nurses in their profession.

IMPLICATION FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY

Gaining insight into nurses' understanding of the situation and perspectives is the key to being able to provide appropriate support and keep them in the workforce. Peer support can play an important role in supporting novice nurses in facing challenges posed by a pandemic and should be improved. Also, programs and strategies need to be planned to improve resilience among nurses and to help them to manage their stress and fear.

Changes in professional commitment of undergraduate nurse students before and after internship: a longitudinal study

BACKGROUND

Experiencing internship shapes nursing students' professional commitment and aggravates its changes. However, few studies have been investigated how this changes empirically.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study are to investigate (a) what are the changes of professional commitment of nursing students before and after the internship? (b) Which of multiple independent variables is the strongest predictor?

METHODS

A longitudinal study was conducted with 996 senior undergraduate nursing students (ready to enter clinical practice) in the China universities. The survey was conducted in the spring of 2015 and autumn of 2016. The data were collected by a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The instruments used included Professional Commitment Scale and Perceived Stress Scale. Analysis of paired t-test and linear regression analysis were performed on the data.

RESULTS

Nursing students showed lower professional commitment (2.79 ± 0.36) than they were (2.92 ± 0.36) before internship. Socio-demographic variables, pre-internship professional commitment and stress perceived during internship predicted 40.1% of the variance in the post-internship commitment.

DISCUSSION

These data summarize the nursing students' professional commitment changes and the main influential factors that contribute to post-internship professional commitment of undergraduate nursing student. The findings are timely, which indicate that senior nursing students' professional commitment can be increased by enhancing pre-internship commitment and reducing students' stress levels during internship.

Final clinical practicum shapes the transition experience and occupational commitment of newly graduated nurses in Europe-A longitudinal study

AIMS

The aim of the study was to examine the association between the characteristics of a nursing student's final clinical practicum and the success of transition of newly graduated nurses (NGNs) in six European countries.

DESIGN

A longitudinal design with two data collections points (pre- and post-graduate).

METHODS

The data were collected with an online survey between May 2018 and April 2020 from graduating nursing students (n = 1796) in Finland, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Lithuania and Spain. Altogether, 642 NGNs responded to the second questionnaire 1 year after graduation. Logistic and linear regression analyses were used to examine the associations between five clinical practicum characteristics and three indicators for the success of transition (ease of transition, turnover intentions and occupational commitment). Models were adjusted for demographic and background/workplace factors and professional competence.

RESULTS

Several associations were observed between the different clinical practicum characteristics and the indicators for a successful transition. Good pedagogical atmosphere and good supervisory relationship were associated with higher likelihood of an easy transition. Good leadership style of the ward manager, good premises of nursing care on the ward and a good supervisory relationship were associated with higher occupational commitment. No consistent association with turnover intention was found.

CONCLUSION

Having a good final clinical practicum before graduation can contribute to an easier transition experience for newly NGNs and strengthen their commitment to the nursing profession.

IMPACT

This study adds to the limited existing knowledge about the importance of final clinical practicums in shaping the transition process and occupational commitment of NGNs. Investing in creating a good final practicum experience could help healthcare organizations engage new nursing professionals and thus alleviate the existing shortage of nurses.

The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse

Nurses consistently stand out in extraordinary ways especially during a global crisis, recently confirmed in the current Covid-19 pandemic. What is opportune this time is the call for clarity around what nurses do and what society can expect from them. Nurses, as members of a global profession, need a platform to build a contemporary practice life. This paper proposes the model: The Exemplary Practice Life of the Nurse. It provides a framework to explicate the essence of the role of the nurse. The model posits four inter-related essential components or pillars that ground a nurse's behavior and commitment: professionalism, leadership, scholarly practice, and stewardship. This uncomplicated, straightforward model is universally applicable for nurses to apply in whatever roles they hold and at any point in their careers. The use of a holistic model, as a guide across a full career trajectory, supports the nurse's ability to prioritize individual pillars while understanding the inter-relationship and influence among the four pillars. The authors pose assumptions that form the basis of the registered nurse role and provide the foundation for the exemplary practice life of the nurse. They make recommendations to nurses, the profession, the workplace, the academy, and the community.

Social media addiction and work engagement among nurses

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between social media addiction (SMA) and work engagement (WE) among nurses in Turkey.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted with 205 nurses. In the study, the SMA and WE scales were used.

FINDINGS

It was determined that there was a negative significant correlation between the SMA and WE variables and that SMA accounted for 2% of WE.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

The controlled use of social media by nurses and the use of strategies that support work engagement will make significant contributions both to nurses and to the outcomes of patient care.

The Mediating Effects of Nursing Professional Commitment on the Relationship between Social Support, Resilience, and Intention to Stay among Newly Graduated Male Nurses: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Survey

The current shortage of nurses is an important global issue. Most male nurses leave nursing within four years of starting their nursing career. It is crucial to understand the influencing factors on newly graduated male nurses staying in nursing. Previous studies on intentions to stay as nurses were seldom based on theory and failed to consider the differences between genders. Based on the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model, this study tested the model that social support, resilience, and nursing professional commitment influence the intention to stay and the mediating effect of nursing professional commitment in the above relationship. This cross-sectional study adopted purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected using online questionnaire, and 272 newly graduated male nurses completed it. The hypothetical model had a good fit with the data. Nursing professional commitment had a complete mediating effect between social support and intention to stay and between resilience and intention to stay. Nursing professional commitment was highly positively correlated to intention to stay. It is suggested that future research and practice should enhance male nurses’ professional commitment to increase their intention to stay. The findings can serve as reference for developing newly graduated male nurse retention programs.

The use of therapeutic untruths by learning disability nursing students

BACKGROUND

The use of therapeutic untruths raises a number of ethical issues, which have begun to be explored to some extent, particularly in dementia care services, where their use has been found to be high. Little is known, however, about their use by health professionals working in learning disability services.

RESEARCH QUESTION

The study aimed to explore the frequency of use of therapeutic untruths by student learning disability nurses, and by their colleagues; how effective the students perceived them to be as a means of responding to behaviours that challenge; and their level of comfort with using them.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A correlational design was used to gather data from an online version of the Best Interest Scale, adapted for a learning disability context. Participants were 30 learning disability student nurses (female = 28, ages 18-48 years, M = 26.8, standard deviation = 7.3) studying at a university in the North-East of England.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The study was reviewed and received ethical approval from the first author's university ethics committee.

FINDINGS

Overall, 96% of participants reported using therapeutic untruths. 'Omission' was the most frequently used type of therapeutic untruths, the most effective and the type that the students felt most comfortable using. Frequency of use of therapeutic untruths correlated significantly and positively with perceived effectiveness and the level of comfort that the students felt when using them, for all types of therapeutic untruths.

CONCLUSION

The use of therapeutic untruths by the student nurses was consistent with that found in research in dementia care services in the United Kingdom and abroad. Further research to explore the generalisability of the results to the wider context of learning disability services is needed. The study highlights that there may be a need for more formal guidance and educational input to student nurses in the use of therapeutic untruths with people with a learning disability.

The Perceptions of Professional Values among Students at a Spanish Nursing School

(1) Background: This study aims to reflect student nurses' perceptions of professional values across the four training years. (2) Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study; data were collected using the Nurses' Professional Values Scale-Revised, adapted by Basurto-Hoyuelos. A total of 315 student nurses participated from a Nursing Faculty in Spain representing each of the four academic years. (3) Results: Students' perceptions of professional values were significantly correlated with their academic year. Overall, students' scores were higher in the ethics dimension. The two highest scores were for Maintain patient confidentiality for years 1 and 2 (4.77 and 4.68, respectively) and Safeguard patients' right to privacy for years 3 and 4 (4.95 and 4.98, respectively). Lower scores were observed in the professional expertise dimension across all years, and corresponded to a single item Participate in peer review (3.51, 3.38, 3.98, and 3.26, respectively). (4) Conclusions: This study is relevant as it highlights how nursing students' perceptions of professional values change overtime, even during the four years of their training. The ethics dimension was the most highly regarded across all academic years. However, the professional expertise dimension requires greater attention throughout the degree as students regarded it as less important for their immediate future.

English-to-Spanish Translation of the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The aim of this investigation was to perform the cross-cultural and linguistic translation and adaptation of the Nijmegen Professionalism Scale for Spanish nursing. Originally designed by Tromp et al. (2010) for its use by general practitioners, the new Spanish version of this tool assesses professional commitment, allowing for the comparison, prevention, association, and longitudinal monitoring of commitment among nursing professionals.

METHODS

The linguistic translation from English to Spanish was performed using the translation-back-translation method; the process of cross-cultural adaptation to the Spanish nursing context was carried out following the recommendations given by a panel of experts comprised of 24 practicing nurses with different professional backgrounds. The data for the feasibility study were collected between December 2015 and January 2016.

RESULTS

The original English version of the instrument contains 106 items and was originally developed for assessing professional behavior of general practitioner trainees; the new version, with a significant reduction in the initial number of items, comprises 49 items and is now ready for pilot testing and validation in our context.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

The Nijmegen Professionalism Scale in its Spanish version will act not only as a tool for measuring professional commitment among Spanish nurses but also as a motivational resource and means for reflection which will, in turn, increase the quality of the care provided by these professionals.