Unveiling the divergent characteristics of Bataeño nurse practitioners : through a Q-sort approach [manuscript] / Gianna Kalilah T. Roman.

Thesis - MAN.

The objective of this study was to determine nurses' viewpoints regarding attributes associated with an excellent nurse in order to elicit a conceptual profile and investigate which characteristics distinguish excellence, according to experienced Bataeño nurses, to guide them in their development towards satisfying the expectations of professionals in the clinical nursing environments. Phenomenological method was used during the initial phase through individual interviews using semi-structured guided questions. For the second phase, the quantitative part, Q methodology was adopted as the study's design for its main aim was to understand the student subjectivity regarding an excellent Bataeño nurse practitioner's characteristics. Ninety-three (93) Bataeño nurse practitioners of the study were selected using purposive sampling technique based on criteria set prior to the conduct of the study. MAXQDA was utilized in the qualitative phase, which yielded 4 themes and 8 subthemes. The participants of the study ranked each item in a set of 27 statements (Q sample) using a 7-point scale that ranges from -3 (most uncharacteristic) to +3 (most characteristic). The Q statement rankings generated by the participants were factor analyzed using the centroid method and varimax rotation. The analysis yielded ten factors representing viewpoints of ten clusters of Bataeño nurse practitioners. Each of these groups identified an excellent Bataeño nurse practitioner as someone who establishes a healing environment in the healthcare, with high regard to growth and expansion of knowledge- improving personally and professionally, practices the KSA phenomena in the healthcare, with encouraging demeanor and virtuous awareness in the working environment, with good interpersonal skills in the healthcare, practices collaboration towards the goal of improving health with the health care team, establishes a favorable environment despite the barriers in the healthcare setting, practices professionalism, gears towards improvement with caution to the feelings of other and provides a caring atmosphere. The ten viewpoints about an excellent Bataeño nurse practitioner described a nomenclature of ideas that is distinct yet related to the usual ideas about good practice in nursing. It was concluded that Bataeño nurse practitioners' perceptions of their ranked traits desirable in the healthcare displayed divergent characteristics in their practice of nursing profession that leads to enriched care and make them stand out above the rest. The study recommended to encourage nurses for the lifelong process of active participation in learning activities that assist in developing and maintaining their continuing competence, enhance their professional practice and support achievement of their career goals. Moreover, sufficient granular workforce data are needed to ascertain the necessary balance of skills among nurses, physicians, and other health professionals for a transformed health care system and practice environment. Furthermore, directions for future research include refinement and validation of factors using a quantitative method like R factor analysis or using a qualitative tradition such as grounded theory.