Development and testing of the Nursing Role Model Competence Scale (NRMCS)

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Professional Development
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Professional socialization in nursing relies on role models.
• Existing instruments for measuring role model competence are lacking.
• Developing a reliable measure is crucial for evaluating nursing mentorship.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Nursing Role Model Competence Scale (NRMCS).
• To assess perceived competence of nursing role models.
• To provide a psychometrically sound instrument for research and practice.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and expert panel input for initial item generation.
• Content validity assessment by clinical and educational role models.
• Psychometric evaluation including factor analysis and reliability testing on a large nursing sample.

Main Results:

• The Nursing Role Model Competence Scale (NRMCS) demonstrated strong psychometric properties.
• Factor analysis identified four key factors: Positive Regard, Competence, Assertive Leader, and Professional Advocate.
• Reliability estimates (alpha and theta) exceeded .77, and item-total correlations ranged from .42 to .70.

Conclusions:

• The NRMCS is a valid and reliable measure of perceived role model competence in nursing.
• Higher professional scores among nurses correlate with higher perceived role model competence.
• The scale can be utilized to enhance nursing mentorship and professional socialization.