Using the Theory of Planned Behaviour to explain junior nurses’ and final‐year student nurses’ intention to care for COVID‐19 patients in China: a multisite cross‐sectional study

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.

Antecedents of physicians' intentions to engage in digital volunteering work: an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) approach

Purpose

The digitalization has changed the volunteer paradigm, making young volunteers use technology in their volunteering activities. The current study sets out to identify and model the antecedents that determine intention to engage in digital health volunteering among Algerian physicians to give insights promoting the development of digital volunteering in different countries of the world.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, the authors used a survey design to extend the technology acceptance model (TAM) with two construct (self-efficacy and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection). A convenience sample of 163 physicians; working in the private and public sectors in six provinces of Algeria was selected. The data were analyzed through a multiple linear regression.

Findings

The findings show that the perceived usefulness, ease of use, attitudes toward digital volunteering, level of self-efficacy and perceived risk of COVID-19 infection have a significant positive effect on physicians' intentions to engage in digital volunteering work in the context of health crises.

Practical implications

This study reveals that engaging in digital volunteering can be promoted during health crises as an effective strategy to provide support and assist public health institutions and emergency management.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study from Africa that explores digital volunteer work, and the first study that extends the TAM to investigate digital volunteer intention among physicians.

Factors influencing intention to plagiarize among nursing students in the Philippines

BACKGROUND

Plagiarism is an ethical concern among students but is insufficiently discussed and acknowledged in some educational institutions. Determining what factors influence plagiarism can help the academic community manage its incidence.

OBJECTIVE

This study determined the factors affecting the intention to plagiarize among Filipino nursing students.

METHODS

Utilizing a cross-sectional research design, data were gathered from 304 nursing students last June 2021 using valid instruments administered online. Regression analysis identified influencing factors of intention to plagiarize.

RESULTS

Findings indicated a generally low intention (M = 1.47, SD = 0.74) to plagiarize among nursing students. Internet literacy (B = -0.314, p <0.001), attitude (B = 0.257, p <0.001), moral obligation (B = -0.236, p <0.001), past behavior (B = 0.139, p <0.001), and subjective norm (B = -0.095, p = -0.001) influenced nursing students' plagiarism intention.

CONCLUSION

Several interrelated factors play major roles in nursing students' tendency to plagiarize. Creating an educational environment that does not favor the unethical practice of plagiarism is recommended for nursing schools.

Predicting Vaccination Intention against COVID-19 Using Theory of Planned Behavior: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study systematically analyzed the literature using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) as a theoretical framework to examine the influence of its constructs on vaccination intention against COVID-19. Quantitative studies were searched in PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Google Scholar following the PRISMA guidelines. The average rate of COVID-19 vaccination intention was 73.19%, ranging from 31% to 88.86%. Attitude had the strongest association with vaccination intention (r₊ = 0.487, 95% CI: 0.368-0.590), followed by subjective norms (r₊ = 0.409, 95% CI: 0.300-0.507), and perceived behavioral control (r₊ = 0.286, 95% CI: 0.198-0.369). Subgroup analyses showed that the pooled effect sizes of TPB constructs on vaccination intention varied across geographic regions and study populations. Attitude had large effect sizes in Asia, Europe, and Oceania, especially among the adult general population, parents, and patients. Subjective norms had large effect sizes in Asia and Oceania, especially among parents and patients. Perceived behavioral control was the most dominant predictor of vaccination acceptance in Africa among patients. These findings suggest that TPB provides a useful framework for predicting intention to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Hence, public awareness and educational programs aimed at promoting COVID-19 vaccination intention should consider using TPB as a framework to achieve the goal.