Hospital Nurses In Taiwan Research Articles

Evaluation of computerized nursing care plan: instrument development.

With the increasingly popular use of information technology in patient care, the need for reliable instrumentation to evaluate information systems has become critical. This article describes the psychometric testing of a scale developed to evaluate a computerized nursing care plan (CNCP) system. A review of the literature generated a 44-item questionnaire, which was then administered to a convenience sample of 729 hospital nurses in Taiwan. Factor analysis (principal component analysis with varimax rotation) and item analysis were applied to establish the scale's construct validity and reliability. Twenty-two items selected from the original 44-item pool were grouped into 6 major constructs: patient care, nursing efficiency, professionalism, usage benefit, education and training, and usability. The alpha coefficient was 0.85. The statistical results showed that nurses generally valued using the CNCP system. Further psychometric analysis of the scale is suggested in other nursing populations, for subscale development and to refine item wording.

Job satisfaction of hospital nurses: an empirical test of a causal model in Taiwan.

The purpose of this research was to empirically test a model of job satisfaction in Taiwan. The model represents a revision of the Price-Mueller model, which is based on empirical research conducted since 1972 at the University of Iowa. This empirical test contributes to the generalization, on cross-national settings, of results from American-based research on job satisfaction. The results, based on a sample of 308 non-supervisory hospital nurses in Taiwan, indicate that 45% of the variance in job satisfaction was accounted for by the revised model. The work characteristic variable "routinization" had the greatest impact on job satisfaction, followed by the personality traits "positive affectivity" and "job involvement". Although it is difficult to change the routine nature of nursing, the manager should make efforts to diversify the job description and empower his/her subordinates. It is suggested that having information on a nurse's personality will help to predict her/his future job satisfaction and may lead to improved selection of personnel. In addition, different management styles or reward systems that are sensitive to different personalities should be carefully studied and implemented, as appropriate.

Editorial

In my first issue as editor of INR, I promised to facilitate a lively international exchange of readers’ ideas and experiences. I shared my goal of starting a dialogue in which nurses talk about their strengths, needs and issues. I also expressed my belief that such an exchange within the pages of INR would strengthen and unite nurses around the world. This issue illustrates how creative such an exchange can be. Six lively original articles communicate, in different formats, very different aspects of nursing. One article helps us understand the meaningfulness of an encounter with Ebola through pictures drawn by survivors of the virus in Uganda. Congratulations to the authors for their innovative approach to communication. We need more such articles (and correspondence) on issues of importance to nurses that are difficult to capture using conventional methodologies. Another article using more traditional descriptive methodology describes 30 women's knowledge and perceptions of Pap smear screening in Botswana. The findings for women from low socio-economic groups show a cultural norm of secrecy, providers not informing the public, and policy makers’ limited attention to cervical cancer. Yet there is a high incidence of cervical cancer in Botswana. This is the kind of small, preliminary investigation that international sponsors should follow up with a larger study. The remaining four original articles originate from authors located in Japan (and USA), Bahrain, Taiwan and Sweden. One is a fascinating account of 12 North American nurse educators working long-term in Japan. Their experiences suggest that nurses considering working overseas need adequate preparation, including language development, before embarking on such an adventure. Another article discusses the process of developing a strategic plan for nursing development in Bahrain. There are clearly lessons for nurses in the experiences described. In 1996 I visited Bahrain to give a keynote address at the First Conference of the Global Network of WHO Collaborating Centres for Nursing and Midwifery Development. I know from this experience just how hard nurses there have worked to develop their practice, education and regulation. Finally this issue presents articles originating from research in two countries half a world apart. One article concerns job satisfaction of hospital nurses in Taiwan, while the other explores novice Swedish students’ perspectives of caring. Using totally different methodologies, both studies have messages for health care managers regarding nurses’ expectations. In summary you will discover in this issue a variety of ways of investigating and communicating different aspects of nursing. I hope that you will consider contributing your own findings and experiences to the international exchange presented within the pages of INR. And I encourage you to use nonconventional formats.