Using the Profile of Caring: Measuring Nurses' Caring for Self and Caring by Their Unit Manager

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Psychology

Background:

• The Caring Factor Survey (CFS) instruments measure nurses' self-reported caring for self and their perception of manager care.
• These surveys are based on the 10 processes of caring within Watson's Theory of Transpersonal Caring.
• Previous research highlighted the need to validate these instruments across diverse cultural contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To validate the Caring Factor Survey - Caring for Self and the Caring Factor Survey - Caring of the Manager instruments.
• To assess the cross-cultural relevance of survey items using invariance testing.
• To examine the relationship between caring factors, role clarity, system clarity, and job satisfaction in a global nursing sample.

Main Methods:

• Structural equation modeling was employed to identify and refine items within each survey.
• Responses from 1,650 nursing staff across six countries were analyzed.
• Three types of invariance testing were conducted to ensure cross-cultural item equivalence.

Main Results:

• Each survey was refined to include six core items measuring caring for self and caring by the manager.
• Five items were common to both surveys, with one unique item for each construct.
• The final item sets demonstrated equal relevance across all participating countries.
• Both caring relationships were significantly associated with nurses' role clarity, system clarity, and job satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• The refined Caring Factor Surveys are psychometrically sound and culturally relevant for global application.
• Validated measures of self-care and manager care are crucial for understanding nurses' work experiences.
• Findings underscore the importance of fostering caring relationships to enhance nurses' role clarity and job satisfaction in diverse healthcare settings.