Research design

1. Is the NMM a reliable measure of five distinct scales of nurses’ Career Choice Motivation (Autonomy, Competence, Relatedness, Status and Job Rewards)? Does CFA demonstrate the a priori five-factor structure (Autonomy,

Competence, Relatedness, Status and Job Rewards) of the NMM?

2. Is the NSCM a reliable measure of four distinct scales of nurses’ Professional Self-concept (Professional Practice, Critical Thinking and Analysis, Provision and Coordination of Care, and Collaborative and Therapeutic Practice)? Does CFA demonstrate the a priori four-factor structure (Professional Practice, Critical Thinking and Analysis, Provision and Coordination of Care, and Collaborative and Therapeutic Practice) of the NSCM?

3. Does Individualism moderate the relationship between motivation to undertake nursing and Professional Self-concept of student nurses from ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds in Sydney, Australia?

Survey methods can be described as descriptive or explanatory (Crookes & Davies, 1998; Polit & Hungler, 1997). This thesis incorporated both. In a descriptive- type survey, the aim is to gather and describe information on selected issues—in this thesis, motivation to undertake nursing, nurses’ Professional Self-concept, and

Individualism—to investigate the research questions. A correlational element attempted to determine whether, and to what degree, a relationship existed between Career Choice Motivation and dimensions of Professional Self-concept for the student nurses in question. A moderation element aimed to assess the effect of Individualism, using a shortened version of an established IC measure (see Chapter 5) on the relationship between Career Choice Motivation and dimensions of self-concept. An explanatory- type survey aims to explore a causal relationship by examining possible associations between factors or variables that may arise from conceptual and theoretically based assumptions (Suskie, 1996). The explanatory component in this thesis related to the development of valid motivation and self-concept measures where previous attempts to do this have been inadequate (see Chapter 3).

Moderation is said to occur when the relationship between two variables depends on a third variable, the moderator variable (Baron & Kenny, 1986; Cohen, Cohen, West, & Aiken, 2003). In a causal relationship, a moderator is a third variable that affects the relationship between two variables and is commonly known as the ‘interaction’ or ‘moderation’ effect, whereby the strength or direction of an independent variable’s effect on the dependent variable depends on the level or the value of the other independent (moderating) variable. That is, moderation postulates ‘when’ or ‘for whom’ an independent variable most strongly (or weakly) causes a dependent variable (Baron & Kenny 1986; Frazier, Tix, & Barron, 2004; Kraemer, Wilson, Fairburn, & Agras, 2002). In essence, a moderator modifies the strength or direction (i.e., positive or

negative) of a causal relationship. Because interaction analysis has been extensively applied to correlational data, the term ‘interaction effect’ has been accepted for

modelling hypotheses that are not necessarily causal in nature (e.g., Chaplin, 1991). In contrast, the term ‘moderation effect’ has been reserved for models that intend to make causal hypotheses. Namely, a moderation effect is a special case of an interaction effect (i.e., a causal interaction effect) that requires a causal theory and design behind the data. In this study, Individualism was theorised to moderate the relationship between

motivation to undertake nursing and nurses’ Professional Self-concept, and various research questions were generated. The research question examined within the

moderation analysis framework was represented as an interaction between motivation to undertake nursing and Individualism in predicting the strength and/or direction of the relationship with the two dimensions of nurses’ Professional Self-concept.

4.2.3.1 Procedure for administering questionnaire. Students were invited to complete the NMM, IC and NSCM questionnaires between August and September of 2011 (Time 1; Studies 1 and 2) in their first year (second semester) of undergraduate nurse education (see Figure 4.1). Participants were administered either a paper version or an online version of the survey, which consisted of three parts: the NMM, the IC measure and the NSCM. Participants were asked to complete all three parts.

The paper version of the survey questionnaire was administered when the researcher attended the end of compulsory first-year tutorials on their university campuses. The scheduled time was negotiated with individual tutorial teachers. The paper version consisted of an introductory front page, the NMM, the IC measure and the NSCM. The purpose and aims of the study were explained to participants, as well as outlined on the front page of the survey questionnaire (see Appendix D). The

information gathered included the participant’s age, gender, country of birth and cultural identification. The questionnaire took approximately 20 minutes to complete. At the end of the administration session, the researcher collected the completed

questionnaires. By the end of September 2011, the researcher had attended 17 tutorials (10 at WSU and seven at ACU) and 429 students had completed the paper version of the survey questionnaire.

Only WSU provided access for their students to participate via an online survey, which mirrored the paper version of the survey. The students were able to click the value of their choice by using a Likert scale for each item in each questionnaire. Demographic information was gained by a series of electronic tick boxes and type-in boxes. The aim was to achieve a survey that would mimic the paper version in every way. Once the participant had entered their demographic information, they were then able to access the entire survey. When the participant had completed the survey, their responses were stored under password protection in the electronic survey system, for collection by the researcher. The researcher could then transfer the data straight into the database. By the end of September 2011, 63 respondents had utilised this method of participation. A poor response rate to the invitation to potential subjects to participate in focus groups at this point made continued efforts not worth the while. Therefore the decision was made to abandon the qualitative component of the study.

The researcher revisited the participating university campuses to administer the survey questionnaire for Study 3 between March and May of 2013 (Time 2). The procedure for administering the paper version of this survey questionnaire was the same as for Studies 1 and 2. As completion rate of the paper version at Time 1 was much higher than online it was decided not to provide the electronic option for Time 2. The survey questionnaire now consisted of the newly developed NMM, IC measure and the

NSCM. The time allocated for completion was 20 minutes. By the end of May 2013, the researcher had attended 18 tutorials (11 at WSU and seven at ACU) and 486 students had completed this survey questionnaire.

4.2.3.2 Ethical considerations and consent. Ethical approval was sought and granted from the Human Research Ethics Committee of WSU. In addition to WSU, two other universities were approached for permission to access their nursing students. One university declined and the other university (ACU) granted access, in the knowledge that approval had already been granted by the WSU Human Research Ethics

Committee. Heads of School of Nursing at each participating university were requested to email an invitation to all first-year (Studies 1 and 2) and third-year (Study 3)

undergraduate nursing students to participate in the study. This email detailed the purpose and aims of the study; that participation was voluntary and confidential; and that the researcher would be visiting their campus to allow the students to participate by completing the survey at the end of scheduled tutorials (see Appendix E). Students approached in this way were given the opportunity to decline to participate without penalty.

The study was designed to include all of the students who volunteered to participate. It was made clear that no disadvantages, reprimands or negative

consequences would occur as a result of not participating, or of withdrawing from the research. Further, consent was not subject to coercion or any inducement or influence that could impair its voluntary character. In addition, because students were asked to include their name on the questionnaire, students were informed that their privacy would be protected, that no one other than the researcher would see their survey and that any publication of results would be such that no university, class or individuals could be identified. Data storage and maintenance policies and procedures were strictly adhered

to during the progression of the investigation. Further, data were stored and managed according to the policies and regulations set by WSU. The only persons having access to individual surveys were appropriate research members who were aware of their responsibilities pertaining to confidentiality issues. Research assistants were required by WSU to undergo criminal record checks.