Evaluation of the College Student Mentoring Scale (CSMS) for Associate Degree Nursing Students

Purpose: The aim of this study is to replicate and expand on previous findings using the College Student Mentoring Scale (CSMS). This model was developed in the discipline of education to evaluate the constructs of mentoring (psychologic, academic, career and role modeling). This is the first test using associate degree nursing students. Mentoring has been identified as a key education program support structure to facilitate student success. An ongoing limitation of the mentoring research in nursing education is how mentoring is defined and conceptualized. Chen, Watson and Hilton (2016) after completing a review of 22 mentoring instruments found only one instrument used in nursing and that instrument was specific to mentoring nursing faculty. Nurse educators have relied on instruments from other disciplines (business, education and psychology) which may not effectively describe mentoring for nursing students. A robust instrument to measure nursing students’ mentorship is needed.

Methods: Associate degree nursing students (N = 283) across the state of Michigan were surveyed using the CSMS, a 25-item questionnaire. All items were ranked on a 5-point likert-type scale. Statistical analysis was replicated from the initial validation of the instrument (Crisp, 2009) using structural equation modeling. Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation was used to estimate model fit. Models were specified on the structures described previously (Crisp, 2009).

Results: The results largely mirrored previous findings regarding the structure of mentoring as reported by the CSMS author (Crisp, 2009). The second order factor model was retained and found to have acceptable fit (χ2 (269) = 119.37, p < .001, CFI = 0.95, TLI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.15, SRMR = 0.03) in accordance with the requirements of Robust Maximum Likelihood estimation.

Conclusions: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the existing mentoring model’s fit within nursing education. Findings suggest that mentoring within the context of associate degree nursing students reflects that of other previously studied with undergraduate students. Mentoring support provided to college students includes; emotional and psychological guidance and support, help in succeeding in academic coursework, assistance examining and selecting degree and career options, and the presence of a role model by which the student can learn from and copy their behaviors (Crisp, 2009, p.189). Although the evidence suggests that the CSMS is a tool fit for the investigation of mentoring of associate degree nursing students, further evaluation of the instrument is needed with other populations of nursing students (e.g., BSN level students and international students).