title: A model of the attitudinal component of professional nurse autonomy.
abstract: This model-testing correlational study was designed to predict a causal model of the attitudinal component of professional nurse autonomy in female baccalaureate nursing students by testing three carative factors embedded in Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring. Proportional quota and convenience sampling were used to collect data from 317 senior nursing students enrolled in 20 National League for Nursing-accredited baccalaureate nursing programs. Path analysis revealed that the hypothesized model was not testable. With removal of nonsignificant paths, 19.1% of the variance in perceived clinical competence was explained by self-esteem and perceptions of instructor caring behaviors. Perceptions of instructor caring behaviors, self-esteem, and perceived clinical competence contributed 11.1% to the variance in the attitudinal component of professional nurse autonomy. These findings provide a baseline for understanding the attitudinal component of professional nurse autonomy. A large percentage of the variance in the model was unexplained, suggesting the need for further study of other contributing variables.
authors.affiliation: University of Delaware, College of Health and Nursing Sciences, Department of Nursing, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA. ghwade@udel.edu
authors.forename: Gail Holland
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Wade
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards*; D004645:Empathy; D005181:Faculty, Nursing / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008611:Mentors / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017145:Models, Educational; D008960:Models, Psychological; D024802:Nurse's Role / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D017009:Professional Autonomy; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D012649:Self Concept; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States