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

Abstract

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.

Wounded healer nurses: a qualitative content analysis of the positive traits of nurses affected by chronic cardiovascular disease

“…This research utilized a qualitative content analysis design. These types of studies aim to discover and understand phenomena, processes, or the perspectives, points of view, and worldviews of the people involved [ 15 ]. This study aimed to address the research gap in exploring the positive traits of nurses as wounded healers by identifying and understanding the positive traits exhibited by nurses with chronic cardiovascular illnesses who provide care to patients with similar conditions.…”

Nurse-patient Relationships and Expatiate Nurse in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Implications

“…Empathy is a foundation of nursing care and an indicator of effective nursing care [37,38] . Nurse empathy has been linked to increased patient satisfaction [39] , self-concept and self-disclosure [40] . Patient-perceived empathy decreased patient distress [37] .…”