Nurses' perspectives on professional self-concept and its influencing factors: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Nurses with a strong professional self-concept tend to exhibit a positive mindset and strong work engagement, delivering high-quality patient care. Although numerous quantitative studies have examined the factors impacting professional self-concept, there remains a limited exploration of these factors from the perspective of nurses themselves.

METHODS

This qualitative descriptive study uses the PERMA theory and Social Cognitive Theory as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nurses from six public hospitals in China. The data were analyzed thematically using a combination of inductive and deductive approaches.

RESULTS

Nurses' understanding of professional self-concept could be divided into four categories: professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge. Factors influencing nurses' professional self-concept were categorized into eight subthemes in three domains: (1) personal factors, including psychological qualities and attitude towards the nursing profession; (2) occupational-related behavioral factors, including role-oriented behavior and knowledge-oriented behavior; and (3) work environment and external factors, including external evaluation and perceptions of nurses, time allocation, nursing work tasks, work atmosphere, school education, and perceived supports.

CONCLUSIONS

This study found that, although nurses had different personal experiences, their perceptions of professional self-concept were similar. Nurses' professional self-concept is a multidimensional concept and involves various factors, such as personality, work-related characteristics, environment, and family. To thrive in a nursing career, nurses must discern the factors that can enhance or hinder their professional self-concept. By identifying and adjusting these factors, personalized support and positive interventions can be tailored to meet nurses' specific needs, which ultimately nurtures their professional development.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered on December 14, 2022, in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200066699) as part of our ongoing study.

Transition shock, future time perspective, professional self-concept, and professional identity among nursing interns: A cross-sectional study

Background

Transition shock is prevalent among nursing interns. Future time perspective helps nursing interns learn and work more effectively and improve their problem-solving skills. Professional self-concept and professional identity play an important central and driving role in nursing interns' career choices and career development. However, the mechanism by which future time perspective, professional self-concept and professional identity are linked to transition shock among nursing interns remains unknown.

Objectives

We assess the degree of transition shock experienced by nursing interns and investigate the connections among transition shock, future-focused viewpoint, professional identity, and professional self-concept.

Design

A descriptive, cross-sectional design was conducted.

Setting

Eight hospitals in Hunan Province, China were included in the study.

Participants

Nursing interns at the studied hospital participated in the study.

Methods

A total of 1090 nursing interns [929 female, 161 male] were recruited from eight hospitals. Data on transition shock, future time perspective, professional self-concept and professional identity among nursing interns were collected using questionnaires from 30 May to June 15, 2022.

Results

On a 4-point rating scale, the participants' felt transition shock had a mean overall score of 2.39 (SD = 0.52). The dimension with the highest score was overwhelming workload (mean = 2.74, SD = 0.58), while the dimension with the lowest score was incongruity between work and personal life (mean = 2.16, SD = 0.70).Professional identity was statistically significantly correlated with transition shock (r = -0.198, p < 0.01). The preferred level of nursing (β = 0.354, p < 00.01), professional self-concept (β = 0.226, p < 00.01), professional identity (β = -0.2576, p < 00.01) and future time perspective (β = 0.119, p < 00.01) were predictors of transition shock.

Conclusions

The development of nursing interns' sense of professional identity and future time perspective should be enhanced during both the education phase and clinical placement to help nursing interns overcome the experience of transition shock.

Application effect study of a combination of TeamSTEPPS with modularization teaching in the context of clinical instruction in trauma care

To explore the effect of a combination of Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) with modularization teaching in the context of clinical instruction in trauma care. A total of 244 nursing students who participated in clinical practice in orthopaedic wards from March 2020 to April 2022 were divided into two groups that received the same trauma care teaching content. The control group (n = 119) used the traditional teaching approach, and the experimental group (n = 125) utilized a combination of TeamSTEPPS with a modularization teaching model. A questionnaire was used to assess students' theoretical knowledge, practical skills, self-concepts and professional benefits after one month with the goal of determining their end-of-course performance. The theoretical knowledge scores obtained by the control group and the experimental group were 89.56 ± 4.06 and 91.62 ± 2.84, respectively, and these results were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Students preferred the combination of TeamSTEPPS with the modularization teaching model to the traditional instructional method in terms of practical skills, professional self-concepts and professional benefits (P < 0.05). The application of the combination of TeamSTEPPS with modularization teaching in the context of clinical instruction in trauma care made significant contributions to nursing students' mastery of theoretical knowledge and practical skills, enhanced their sense level of professional identity, instilled a correct occupational ideology in such students, and enhanced the professional benefits they were able to obtain.

The effect of professional portfolio learning on nursing students' professional self-concepts in geriatric adult internship: a- quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND

Professional self-concept is one of the important outcomes of nursing professionalism. There is a lack of adequately planned curriculum may limit nursing students' practical knowledge, skills and professional self-concept in providing comprehensive geriatric-adult care and promoting nursing professionalism. Professional portfolio learning strategy has allowed nursing students to continue professional development and enhance nursing professionalism in professional clinical practice. However, there is little empirical evidence in nursing education to support the use of professional portfolios in blended learning modality among internship nursing students. Therefore, this study aims to examine the effect of the blended professional portfolio learning on professional self-concept among undergraduate nursing students during Geriatric-Adult internship.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study two-group pre-test post-test design. A total of 153 eligible senior undergraduate students completed the study (76 in the intervention group and 77 in the control group). They were recruited from two Bachelor of Sciences in Nursing (BSN) cohorts from nursing schools at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), in Iran, in January 2020. Randomization was undertaken at the level of school via a simple lottery method. The intervention group received the professional portfolio learning program as a holistic blended learning modality, though the control group received conventional learning during professional clinical practice. A demographic questionnaire and the Nurse Professional Self-concept questionnaire were used for data collection.

RESULTS

The findings imply the effectiveness of the blended PPL program. Results of Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) analysis was indicated significantly improved professional self-concept development and its dimensions (self-esteem, caring, staff relation, communication, knowledge, leadership) with high effect size. The results of the between-group comparison for professional self-concept and its dimensions at different time points (pre, post and follow up test) showed a significant difference between groups at post-test and follow up test (p < 0.05),while at pre-test there was no important dissimilarity between two groups (p > 0.05).The results of within-group comparison for both control and intervention showed that there were significant differences in professional self-concept and for all its dimensions across the time from pre-test to post-test and follow-up (p < 0.05), and also from post-test to follow-up it was significant (p < 0.05) for both groups.

CONCLUSION

This professional portfolio learning program demonstrates as an innovative and holistic blended teaching-learning approach to improve professional self-concept during professional clinical practice among undergraduate nursing students. It appears that the use of a blended designed of professional portfolio can promote a link between theory and the advancement of geriatric adult nursing internship practice. The data obtained from the present study can be useful for nursing education to evaluate and redesign a curriculum for development of nursing professionalism as a quality improvement process and groundwork to develop new models of teaching-learning and assessment.

The protective role of professional self-concept and job embeddedness on nurses' burnout: structural equation modeling

BACKGROUND

Job embeddedness and professional self-concept are among the important nursing components, the existence of which help decrease occupational burnout among nurses. This study aimed to determine the protective role of Professional Self-concept and Job embeddedness on nurses'burnout.

METHODS

This descriptive, correlational study had a predictive design and was conducted on nurses working in training and healthcare centers of Babol University of Medical Sciences in 2019. In total, 308 nurses participated in this study and were selected by stratified random sampling. In addition, data were collected using demographic characteristics questionnaire, Professional Self-concept questionnaire, Job embeddedness scale and nurses' burnout questionnaire. Moreover, data analysis was performed in SPSS version 25 and Smart PLS version 3.3 using correlational statistics and structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Both the variables of professional self-concept and job embeddedness, had a significant effect on nurses' burnout at 99% confidence level (P < 0.001) and the negative beta value for these two variables shows the inverse relationship between both professional self-concept and job embeddedness with nurses' burnout. The value of the coefficient of determination for burnout indicates that both the variables of professional self-concept and job embeddedness, together explain 78% of the changes in the variable of burnout. The beta coefficient for professional self-concept (- 0.50) is higher than the same coefficient for job embeddedness (- 0.42). As a result, the role of professional self-concept in predicting burnout of clinical nurses has been more than the role of job embeddedness. The indirect effect of professional self-concept on burnout of clinical nurses mediated by job embeddedness has been equal to - 0.347. As a result, it can be said that nurses' professional self-concept has a significant effect on nurses' burnout through mediation of job embeddedness.

CONCLUSION

According to the results of the study, Professional Self-concept had an effective role in nurses' burnout. In other words, the higher the Professional Self-concept of nurses, the lower their burnout. Therefore, it is suggested that effective interventional strategies be designed by nursing managers through better planning and a supportive workplace be established to improve Professional Self-concept among nurses and decrease their burnout.

The relationship between professional self-concept and work-related quality of life of nurses working in the wards of patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Nurses are at the forefront of providing health care services and their performance is largely determinant of the quality of health care. This study aims to investigate associations between professional self-concept (PSC) and WRQoL among nurses from selected hospitals in Bushehr and Shiraz cities (south of Iran), during the period of COVD-19 pandemic.

METHOD

This study is designed as a cross-sectional study. Available sampling was performed among active nurses in the care wards of patients with Covid-19 in public hospitals in Bushehr and Shiraz. Data were collected using demographic information form, along with the work-related quality of life and professional self-concept questionnaires. SPSS software and univariate and multivariate linear regression statistical methods with a significance level of 0.05 were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS

The mean scores of the PSC and the WRQoL Scale in nurses were respectively 202.32 ± 38.19 and 68.81 ± 19.12. There was also a significant direct relationship between PSC and WRQoL. PSC together with work location and working experience could thus explain 34.6% of the variance in WRQoL, which was 26.5% for PSC.

CONCLUSION

Considering the confirmation of the predictive role of nurses' PSC in their WRQoL in terms of planning and designing interventions to boost their WRQoL, attention to internal factors such as PSC is of utmost importance.

Relationships between reality shock, professional self-concept, and nursing students' perceived trust from nursing educators: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students establish their professional role through clinical practice. However, during the first clinical practice, they might experience reality shock given the gap between theory and practice, which could negatively influence their professional self-concept. Furthermore, nursing educators in clinical practice play an important role in improving nursing students' clinical experience.

OBJECTIVES

To examine the relationship between nursing students' reality shock and professional self-concept, and to examine the associations of perceived trust from nursing educators with nursing students' reality shock and professional self-concept.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional, descriptive correlational study.

SETTING

Nursing schools in one metropolitan area and three cities in South Korea.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were collected from 184 nursing students who experienced their first clinical practice in preceding four weeks of data collection.

METHODS

Surveys assessing participants' characteristics, reality shock, professional self-concept, and perceived trust from nursing educators were conducted. A hierarchical regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between reality shock and professional self-concept, and the relationships between perceived trust from nursing educators and nursing students' reality shock and professional self-concept.

RESULTS

Nursing students' reality shock was negatively related to their professional self-concept. Perceived interpersonal relationship with nursing educators was positively related to professional self-concept and negatively related to the experienced reality shock. Furthermore, this negative relationship decreased when reality shock was combined with perceived interpersonal relationship with nursing educators.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students' reality shock during their first clinical practice may be negatively associated with the establishment of their professional self-concept. However, students' reality shock could be reduced by enhancing their interpersonal relationship with the nursing educator, which might reduce the negative association of reality shock with professional self-concept. Therefore, nursing educators should develop skills to establish interpersonal relationships with students to positively influence students' clinical adaptation.

Professional self-concept and burnout among medical school faculty in South Korea: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Medical school faculty members have been reported to be highly likely to suffer burnout. Research is being conducted on professional self-concepts as a factor that relieves burnout in many professions. However, there is a paucity of data on the relationship between professional self-concept and burnout among medical school faculty. Professional self-concept means a perception of oneself as a member of the profession. It influences an individual's thoughts, actions, and emotions. The more positive the professional self-concept, the higher is the self-esteem in the profession, which can contribute to reducing burnout. This study aimed to investigate the professional self-concept and incidence of burnout among medical school clinical faculty members, and to ascertain the factors that affect professional self-concept with respect to burnout.

METHODS

A total of 68 clinical faculty members at the Ajou University School of Medicine completed a modified form of the professional self-concept scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. We undertook the following statistical analyses: a descriptive analysis to understand the distribution of participants, correlation analysis to indicate associations between variables and a multiple regression analysis to examine the influence of gender, position, and specialty on professional self-concept and burnout, and the effect of each subscale of professional self-concept on burnout.

RESULTS

As professional self-concept increases, burnout decreases. There was no significant difference between professional self-concept and burnout with respect to gender or field of medical specialty, while a significant difference was observed across faculty position levels. Additionally, the professional self-concept subscale, which included satisfaction and communication skill, was found to significantly affect burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows that professional self-concept affects burnout. Through these results, we can infer that professional self-concept functioned to protect medical school faculty from burnout. This may be a strategy that fortifies the professional identity of medical school faculty, and it is suggested that educational programs that are directed toward this goal be established.

Academic burnout and professional self-concept of nursing students: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students' academic burnout affects their learning behaviour and academic performance, which ultimately affect whether they will become a qualified nurse. However, little is known about the academic burnout of nursing students, or about its relationship with professional self-concept.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was (1) to assess the academic burnout of nursing students and (2) to evaluate the impact of professional self-concept on academic burnout among nursing students.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey.

SETTINGS

The survey was carried out at a 3-year vocational medical college and a 4-year undergraduate medical college in Anhui province, which is located in east-central China.

PARTICIPANTS

From March to May 2018, a total of 1139 full-time nursing students were investigated by convenient sampling, and 1083 valid questionnaires were recovered in this study.

METHODS

Basic information of students were collected. The Academic Burnout Scale (ABS) and the Nurses' Self-Concept Instrument (NSCI) were used to evaluate students' academic burnout and professional self-concept.

RESULTS

The average of the overall score of the Academic Burnout Scale was 2.77 ± 0.53, which closed to the median of the scale (median = 3). Whether class leader students or not has significant influence on influence students' academic burnout. Nursing students' professional self-concept had negative effect on their academic burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students' academic burnout level was close to the median on the Academic Burnout Scale, and improper behaviour was most severe. Positive professional self-concept can reduce the level of academic burnout. It is meaningful for nursing educators to take measures to decrease nursing students' academic burnout and enhance their professional self-concept.

Medical students' satisfaction with clinical clerkship and its relationship with professional self-concept

PURPOSE

Medical students construct their identity as a student physician through clinical clerkship. However, there is a lack of research on the effect of clinical clerkship on professional self-concept formation. The aim of this study is to analyze and ascertain the relationship between medical students' satisfaction with clinical clerkship and professional self-concept.

METHODS

This investigation studied 84 third- and fourth-year medical students enrolled in the Ajou University School of Medicine and Graduate School of Medicine. Study measures tools included satisfaction with clinical clerkship and professional self-concept measurement. For data analyses, a descriptive analysis of the research variable characteristics was applied, gender differences in variables by years of medical school were analyzed with t-tests, and correlation analysis was used to check for relationships between variables.

RESULTS

We found no statistically significant differences between satisfaction with clinical clerkship with respect to medical school year and gender. While professional self-concept did not show significant differences by year of medical school, we observed statistically significant differences by gender with respect to the subscales of professional practice and communication factor. In addition, satisfaction with clinical clerkship and professional self-concept demonstrated statistically significant positive correlation. The present research was able to confirm that there exists a correlation between medical students' clinical clerkship experience and professional self-concept formation.

CONCLUSION

Our study outcomes shows that provision of positive assistance as a measure to enhance satisfaction with clinical clerkship via the curriculum and environmental improvement is envisaged to lead to medical students' professional self-concept formation.

A cross-sectional study of drinking patterns, prelicensure nursing education, and professional identity formation

BACKGROUND

Professional identity has been described as being an important outcome of nursing education, but how this identity forms is not well understood. Even less is known about how students' personal substance use/abuse patterns factor into their professional identity formation.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to describe drinking behaviors and professional identity formation among baccalaureate of nursing students.

DESIGN

This cross-sectional, descriptive study used a survey design.

SETTING

The study took place on three campuses of a large system university in the Midwestern United States.

PARTICIPANTS

The convenience sample consisted of 333 students enrolled in the first semester of the second, third, and last year of a traditional baccalaureate of nursing program.

METHODS

Data were collected using the Nurse Self-Concept Questionnaire and the Student Alcohol Questionnaire. ANOVA and Pearson r statistical tests were used to analyze data.

RESULTS

Self-perceptions related to leadership were found to be the weakest aspect of the students' self-concepts, and the only dimensions of professional self-concept that differed significantly among students enrolled at varying program levels were knowledge and communication. A negative relationship was found between increased alcohol use and general self-concept and communication, but the associations were very weak.

CONCLUSIONS

More research is needed to understand how best to facilitate the acquisition of an identity consistent with the profession's values and how to recruit candidates that embody nursing's preferred future.