Psychological Capital Among Nursing Faculty: Implications for Practice.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Organizational Psychology
• Higher Education

Background:

• Psychological Capital (PsyCap) comprises internal resources crucial for navigating challenges and enhancing professional success.
• The academic environment's external factors may significantly influence individual PsyCap levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the levels of Psychological Capital (PsyCap) among nursing faculty.
• To investigate the impact of external factors on nursing faculty's PsyCap.
• To examine the relationship between PsyCap and the intent to seek leadership development.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory descriptive study design was employed.
• The Psychological Capital Questionnaire was utilized to assess faculty perceptions.
• Seventy nursing faculty members participated in the study.

Main Results:

• Nursing faculty reported high levels of PsyCap (M = 4.5).
• Organizational support emerged as a significant positive predictor of PsyCap (β= .26, P = .021).
• PsyCap levels did not correlate with the intent to seek leadership development.

Conclusions:

• External factors demonstrably influence, predict, and shape PsyCap within the academic setting.
• Findings have implications for both personal and professional development in nursing faculty.
• Further research is recommended to fully understand the dynamics of PsyCap in this population.