Development and Validation of Clinical Nursing Teacher Self-Efficacy Scale and Investigation of Self-Efficacy among Clinical Nursing Teachers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to (1) add relevant contemporary items to develop an assessment instrument for the self-efficacy of clinical nursing teachers, to verify and evaluate the validity and reliability of the instrument, and (2) investigate the self-efficacy of clinical nursing teachers. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was designed. A total of 205 clinical nursing teachers were recruited in Taiwan. Data were collected using the Clinical Nursing Teacher Self-efficacy Scale. An exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine the scale. RESULTS: The degree of self-efficacy of clinical nursing teachers was moderate to high. The 35-item scale showed great psychometric qualities. The Cronbach coefficient of the overall scale was 0.92; and 0.83, 0.91, 0.93, and 0.87 on the four subscales were acceptable. Four factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis and explained 68.53% of the total variance. Four factors were (i) teachers' professional growth ability, (ii) teaching ability, (iii) clinical nursing competencies, and (iv) personality traits. The highest self-efficacy category evaluated by teachers was personality traits; the second was clinical nursing competencies; after that, teaching ability and teachers' professional growth ability. The item with the lowest self-efficacy was foreign language ability (English). CONCLUSION: Clinical nursing teachers have a moderate to high degree of self-efficacy. This scale with good reliability and validity can be used for the training and evaluation of the self-efficacy of clinical nursing teachers.

Job stress and occupational burnout among clinical nursing teachers: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical nursing teachers face conflicts and challenges while instructing nursing students in the clinical setting. They may be under job stress, which can lead to occupational burnout. PURPOSE: This study investigated the current state and relationship between job stress and occupational burnout, as well as explore the significant predictors of occupational burnout among clinical nursing teachers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design and convenience sampling was conducted. A total of 205 clinical nursing teachers from 43 nursing schools in Taiwan. Used the Chinese version of the job content questions and occupational burnout inventory to collect data. Multiple linear regression was used to determine the predictors of occupational burnout. RESULTS: The degree of perception of life stress by teachers was moderate, and occupational burnout was mild to moderate. Multiple regression analyses showed that perceived life stress and job stress were significant predictors of occupational burnout; perceived life stress was the strongest predictor of occupational burnout, explained 26.4% of the variance; and the workload explained 16.6% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Perceived life stress and job stress influence occupational burnout. This study results may help administrators recognize the vulnerability of clinical nursing teachers to different stressors and develop strategies to improve occupational burnout.

Influence of work values and personality traits on intent to stay among nurses at various types of hospital in Taiwan.

AIM: In this study, the influence of work values and personality traits on the intent to stay at work was examined among nurses in Taiwan. BACKGROUND: No empirical studies in this area have been conducted in the nursing industry. METHODS: A cross-sectional predictive study was performed during 2012 with 1246 nurses recruited from three different types of hospital located in northeastern Taiwan. A structured questionnaire based on the 5-factor model was used. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate the various factors associated with the intent to stay at work among nurses. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 85%. The nurses who had a high level of intent to stay at work were significantly more likely to be in senior roles; exhibited positive work values, conscientiousness, emotional stability; and worked at a non-religious hospital. CONCLUSION: Age, the role of work values, personality traits and type of hospital were crucial in enhancing the level of intent to stay at work. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The study findings provide evidence for managers to develop an optimal strategy for nurses with specific personality traits and highly positive work values, which can guide the recruitment and retention of nurses.

Increase diagnostic efficacy by combined use of fingerprint markers in mass spectrometry--plasma peptidomes from nasopharyngeal cancer patients for example.

OBJECTIVES: There is no plasma marker for detecting nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). We developed a bead-based affinity fractionated proteomic method to search potential plasma markers for NPC. DESIGN AND METHODS: Affinity purification of heparinized plasma with Cu-chelated beads and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis were used to screen potential NPC markers. We compiled MS protein profiles for 47 patients with NPC and compared them to profiles from 28 healthy controls. The spectra were statistically analyzed using flexAnalysis and ClinProt bioinformatics software. Diagnostic efficacy was evaluated by determination of the assay sensitivity and specificity of each marker. RESULTS: Twelve mass fingerprint markers differing between cancer and control spectra were found. The sensitivities of these NPC markers are various ranging from 36% to 83%, and the specificities were all over 90%. Combine use of these markers significantly increases diagnostic efficacy. In which, the combined markers (2020 Da and 4635 Da) possess best discriminator with high sensitivity (94%) and specificity (93%). We further identify a C3 fragment, C3f, that may serve as a biomarker for NPC. CONCLUSION: The combined use of mass fingerprint markers in plasma proteome will enhance diagnostic efficacy for NPC. This method can be applied to search for novel plasma markers for cancers.

Oral cancer plasma tumor marker identified with bead-based affinity-fractionated proteomic technology.

BACKGROUND: There is no plasma marker for detecting oral cancer, one of the most frequent cancers worldwide. We developed a bead-based affinity-fractionated proteomic method to discover a novel plasma marker for oral cancer. METHODS: Affinity purification of heparinized plasma with magnetic beads and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis were used to screen potential oral cancer markers. We compiled MS protein profiles for 57 patients with oral cancer and compared them with profiles from 29 healthy controls. The spectra were analyzed statistically using flexAnalysis and ClinProt bioinformatic software. In each MS analysis, the peak intensities of interest were normalized with an internal standard (adrenocorticotropic hormone 18-39). For identification, affinity bead-purified plasma protein was subjected to MALDI TOF/TOF analysis followed by Mascot identification of the peptide sequences and a search of the National Center for Biotechnology Information protein database. RESULTS: To optimize MALDI-TOF analysis based on the best discriminator of the cancer and control spectra, copper-chelated beads were used for plasma protein profiling. The within- and between-run CVs for assays were <4% and 7%, respectively. Six markers that differentiated between cancer and control spectra were found, with mean (SD) molecular masses of 2664 (1), 2850 (1), 3250 (1), 7735 (2), 7927 (2), and 9240 (2) Da. The 2664-Da marker, identified as a fragment of the fibrinogen alpha-chain, had the highest sensitivity (100%) and specificity (97%) for cancer. CONCLUSION: The high specificity and sensitivity of the fibrinogen alpha-chain fragment suggest that it may be a clinical useful tumor marker.