Nursing Faculty Caring Behaviors: Perceptions of Students and Faculty

A Health Sciences College in Southwest Virginia conducts exit surveys for all graduating students. The spring 2015 survey revealed many positive results and comments; however, there were some concerning results regarding faculty caring behaviors from nursing program graduates. This descriptive, exploratory, comparative study titled Nursing Faculty Caring Behaviors: Perceptions of Students and Faculty resulted in findings that offer further insight into student and faculty perceptions of caring behaviors. The study also identified specific behaviors that demonstrate the presence or absence of faculty caring. Participation was invited from full time, part-time, and adjunct nursing faculty and students enrolled in the traditional BSN, accelerated BSN, RN-BSN, and graduate nursing programs. The review of the literature on the phenomena of caring faculty behaviors revealed that there have been many studies conducted in the past 20 years on the topic of student perceptions of faculty caring. However, very few studies that evaluate faculty self-assessment of their caring behaviors have been published. Wade and Kasper's (2006) Nursing Students’ Perception of Instructor Caring (NSPIC) semantic differential scale instrument was used to measure faculty caring behaviors. Dr. Jean Watson, world renowned nursing theorist, served as a consultant to this research team. Study results revealed when comparing nursing faculty self-perception to nursing faculty perceptions of other nursing faculty (N=20), there were statistically significant differences in 19/30 questions. The phenomenon identified as illusory superiority cognitive bias was present and is defined as when individuals overestimate their own qualities and abilities relative to others. According to social sciences research, this is a common and expected finding and no interventions are recommended. Independent T-test comparison between nursing faculty perception of other nursing faculty (N=20) and student perceptions of nursing faculty (N=28) 27/30 items revealed 3 significant findings: both entities care about each student as a person, p=.015, inappropriately disclose personal information about students to others, p=.03 and make students nervous in the clinical setting p=.014. Results were presented at an annual faculty meeting. The intervention to be implemented is first class meeting and/or course announcement talking points that are focused on identified caring behaviors. Further study is encouraged with a broader population and with more innovative interventions. A collaborative study with multiple schools is being considered. The findings from this study will allow further review of this tool and will provide additional insight into faculty caring behaviors and practices that support student success. This study’s’ results offer new information that is not currently in the literature.