Public perceptions of the brand image of nursing: Cross-cultural differences between the United States and China.

BACKGROUND: Measures of public opinion regarding nursing's brand image are needed to identify and correct perceptions that are incongruent with the breadth and scope of contemporary nursing practice. Misperceptions of nursing's influence may serve to minimize or disregard nursing's unique contributions to addressing the Social Determinants of Health which are foundational for improving the health of global populations. PURPOSE: To compare public perceptions of the brand image of nursing between China and the United States (US) and determine whether sociodemographic variables influenced factors between the two countries. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed among members of the Chinese and U.S. public. Perceptions of nursing's brand image were assessed through the original Nursing Brand Image Scale-Public Version in the US (NBIS-P) and when translated to Chinese (NBIS-P-C). Descriptive statistics and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were used to compare perceptions of the brand image of nursing and to examine the influence of demographics. DISCUSSION: The reliability of the Chinese version of the NBIS-P-C was confirmed by this study. Age and gender did not influence public perceptions of nursing's brand image in either China or the US. Instead, educational attainment was the significant demographic variable and positively correlated with the public's perceptions of nursing in both countries (p < .05). Public respondents with lower educational attainment scored both the traditional nursing factor "Caregiver Virtues/Attributes" (e.g., Trusted, Caring, Nurturing/Mothering) and the factor "Lack Authority/Identity" (e.g., White Cap/Uniform, Subservient, Female) higher, while scoring the factor for "Leadership" (e.g., Decision Makers, Influential, Leaders) significantly lower than those with higher educational levels. CONCLUSION: A disparity exists between nursing's contemporary contributions to healthcare and the public's limited understanding of the diverse leadership roles all nurses provide, across a variety of settings, and in global public health initiatives. The virtuous traits of the nurse are perceived most directly and immediately by the public while their roles as autonomous decision-makers and leaders are less (or not at all) visible. Enhancing the accuracy and visibility of a strong brand image could advance public perceptions of nurses as experts and leaders in nursing science, thus paving the way for nurses to more effectively direct and influence the health of the public, particularly those with lower educational attainment who represent some of the most vulnerable populations. Targeted interventions that incorporate the educational level of the public offer a foundational opportunity for the nursing profession to correct inaccurate and outdated stereotypes that prevent nurses from achieving their desired brand image as influential leaders. Such campaigns could also be used to inform policy, guide strategic planning, and transform the future direction of the nursing profession.

Psychometric properties and latent profile analysis of the Nursing Brand Image Scale: a methodological study in the Chinese context.

AIMS: To translate the U.S. version of the Nursing Brand Image Scale to Chinese (NBIS-C) and evaluate its psychometric properties when administered to a national sample of Chinese nurses, and identify nursing brand image profiles in Chinese nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted to validate the NBIS-C among nurses in China. METHODS: The psychometric properties of the NBIS-C were tested in accordance with the COSMIN checklist. The reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the 42-item NBIS-C were examined in a national sample of 759 nurses recruited from 29 Chinese provinces. Latent Profile Analyses (LPA) were conducted to reveal nurses' perceptions of the brand image of nursing. RESULTS: Results of this study demonstrated acceptable validity (content validity, structural validity, and construct validity), reliability (internal consistency and test-retest reliability), adequate responsiveness, and no floor/ceiling effect of the NBIS-C. LPA yielded five subgroups: Integrated, Traditional, Subordinate, Creative and Leader. CONCLUSION: The psychometric properties of the NBIS-C are suitable for assessing the image of nursing among Chinese nurses. Future studies with a larger, more diverse sample are recommended. Although the role of nurses in China has evolved, nurses in general have failed to communicate a consistent, positive, and accurate brand image for the nursing profession.

Strategies to Recruit the Next Generation of Nursing Leadership Talent.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore how generational differences contribute to challenges in recruiting the next generation of talent into nursing administration roles. BACKGROUND: The current workforce is aging. Nursing administrative roles, which for the purpose of this study are defined as nurse managers, are increasingly difficult to fill with leaders from upcoming Generations X and Y. METHODS: A descriptive, nonexperimental study was undertaken using a convenience sample. An electronic survey was distributed to explore the impact a set of interventions would have on recruiting into nursing administration roles. Then differences between generations were analyzed. RESULTS: Respondents indicated 45% of the interventions have a moderate to high impact on their consideration for a position in administration. Statistical significance between generations was identified on 4 interventions related to work-life harmony. CONCLUSIONS: Fiscally conservative interventions exist to assist hospital administrators with succession planning among nurse managers. When recruiting Generations X and Y candidates, interventions supporting work-life harmony should be emphasized.

Are your students ready for anatomy and physiology? Developing tools to identify students at risk for failure.

High failure rates in introductory college science courses, including anatomy and physiology, are common at institutions across the country, and determining the specific factors that contribute to this problem is challenging. To identify students at risk for failure in introductory physiology courses at our open-enrollment institution, an online pilot survey was administered to 200 biology students. The survey results revealed several predictive factors related to academic preparation and prompted a comprehensive analysis of college records of >2,000 biology students over a 5-yr period. Using these historical data, a model that was 91% successful in predicting student success in these courses was developed. The results of the present study support the use of surveys and similar models to identify at-risk students and to provide guidance in the development of evidence-based advising programs and pedagogies. This comprehensive approach may be a tangible step in improving student success for students from a wide variety of backgrounds in anatomy and physiology courses.