Attribution Retraining On The Professional Self-concept And Perceived Career Barriers Of Undergraduate Nursing Students

Objective To investigate the current status of professional self-concept and perceived career barriers of undergraduate nursing students, and to analyze the influencing factors of the professional self-concept and perceived career barriers for undergraduate nursing students, and also to evaluate the effects of attribution retraining on the professional self-concept and perceived career barriers of undergraduate nursing students. It might provide the basic references for educators and nursing managers of clinical teaching on innovating the reform of teaching mode.Methods(1) A total of 378 undergraduate nursing students were asked to answer the questionnairs with the self-made questionnaire, professional self-concept of nurses instrument and perceived career barriers inventory, the students’ current status of professional self-concept and perceived career barriers and theirs influencing factors were evaluated.(2) Based on Weiner’s attribution theory, according to the random methodand scores of perceived career barriers, the researcher chose a class(n=46) as the attribution retraining group, a class(n=48) as the control group from grade 2011. The demographic details, professional self-concept and perceived career barriers between the two groups were respectively compared. Students in the attribution retraining group were given the attribution retraining based on Weiner’s attribution theory for two months on the basic of daily teaching activities like as those in the control group. Every group students’ scores of the professional self-concept of nurses instrument or perceived career barriers inventory were assessed before or after the attribution retraining. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences(SPSS) 18.0, the percentages, means and standard deviations were used as the statistical description; t-test, chi-square test, analysis of variance, multiple linear regression and linear correlation were used as the statistical inference.Results(1) The total mean score of nursing professional self-concept of the students was(2.90±0.32), the mean scores of five dimensions from the highest to the lowest were as following: skills(3.20±0.43), communication(2.99±0.33), flexibility(2.97±0.48), leadership(2.90±0.51) and satisfaction(2.62±0.41). Satisfaction with nursing, academic achievement and per capital monthly income of family were the influencing factors for the nursing students’ professional self-concept. These three factors explained 13.4% of the total variance.(2) The total mean score of the students’ perceived career barriers was(2.23±0.26), it was slightly lower than the national norm for college students(2.33±0.39). The mean scores of six dimensions from the highest to the lowest were respectively as following: competition on employment(2.81±0.40), attitude of relatives(2.25±0.27), the family background(2.23±0.46), vocational knowledge(2.06±0.48), social ability(2.02±0.45) and the professional level(1.90±0.38). Satisfaction with nursing, academic achievement, per capital monthly income of family and family source were the influencing factors for the students’ perceived career barriers. These four factors explained 21.8% of the total variance.(3) The professional self-concept was negatively correlated to the students’ perceived career barriers(r=58.8%, P<0.01).(4) Before the intervention, there were not significant differences for the demographic details, professional self-concept and perceived career barriers between two groups(P > 0.05).(5) After attribution retraining, mean scores of the nursing students’ professional self-concept, skills, flexibility, satisfaction and communication were more significantly improved in the attribution retraining group(P<0.05); mean scores of the nursing students’ professional self-concept, skills, satisfaction and communication were more significantly improved in the attribution retraining group than those in the control group(P<0.05).(6) After attribution retraining, mean scores of the nursing students’perceived career barriers, vocational knowledge, social ability and professional level were more significantly reduced in the attribution retraining group(P<0.05); mean scores of the nursing students’ perceived career barriers, vocational knowledge, social ability and professional level were more significantly reduced in the attribution retraining group than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusions(1) The professional self-concept of undergraduate nursing students was at moderate level, satisfaction with nursing, academic achievement and per capital monthly income of family were the influencing factors for their professional self-concept.(2) The score of perceived career barriers of undergraduate nursing students was slightly lower than the national norm for college students, satisfaction with nursing, academic achievement, per capital monthly income of family and family source were the influencing factors for their perceived career barriers.(3) Attribution retraining could stabilize students’ nursing professional attitudes and reduce their perveived career barriers.