Development of relationship with patient self efficacy scale: Gender, department, and grade level differences

Abstract

Background: Self-efficacy has become a cross-disciplinary concept. In the field of healthcare, this concept is considered crucial for nurses; who play an important role in improving the health and well-being of the community. Aims: The aim of this study was to develop a "Relationship-with-the-patient self-efficacy scale" (RPSES). Methodology: A sample of 331 university students (310 females and 21 males; 168 from the midwifery and 162 from the nursing departments) were enrolled in the study. Out of 24 items, 8 behavior items with the highest factor loadings were selected regarding the nurse-patient-relationship self-efficacy according to the results of the preliminary exploratory factor analysis. Results: The final exploratory factor analysis revealed that the selected 8 items of RPSES had a single factor, explaining 83.28% of the total variance. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient was c alculated as 0.97. Conclusion: This scale has beendemonstrated to be a valid and reliable instrument. The analyses unfolded that RPSES scores of the students were not different between men and womenand did not differ by the departments the students attended; however, the RPSES scores were different by the grade levels of the students (juniors and seniors). The fourth graders' RPSES scores were higher than those of third graders.