Factors associated with professional confidence in Japanese public health nurses: A cross-sectional survey.

Abstract

ObjectivesTo clarify factors associated with professional confidence in Japanese public health nurses (PHNs) and to examine the relationship between professional confidence and professional competency.DesignA cross‐sectional study.SamplePublic health nurses (N = 1,512) working in local government agencies.MeasurementsAn anonymous, self‐administered questionnaire with questions on demographic characteristics (sex, age, experience as a PHN, educational background, affiliation, and position) and 34 items on professional confidence developed by the researchers based on a literature review was administered. Factors associated with the professional confidence were extracted through an exploratory factor analysis, and construct validity of the confidence was verified through a confirmatory factor analysis.ResultsIn total, 883 responses (response rate, 58.4%) were received; only 467 (30.9%) of them were valid. On the basis of the exploratory factor analysis results, professional confidence included 17 items, with the following four factors: “technical practice,” “effortful learning,” “exploring the evidence,” and “educators in workplace.” The goodness‐of‐fit model in the confirmatory factor analysis proved the construct validity of professional confidence.ConclusionsProfessional confidence was gained by self‐improvement that reflects on public health practice. Professional confidence underpinned the generalist level of professional competency among PHNs.