Search

Avatar-mediated communication (AMC), commonly used in online environments such as games and the emerging metaverse, is different from traditional computer-mediated communication in that it is a human-object-object-human relationship mediated by the individual's avatar and the avatar of the person with whom they are communicating. We conceptualize AMC by using three key concepts: user-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as themselves), avatar-avatar identification (i.e., how a user perceives their avatar as part of a community of avatars), and social presence (i.e., how a user perceives the other avatar as a representation of the other person). We tested this model using 778 individuals who responded to three waves of data collection. The results show that the three factors of AMC influence users' social identification with their community and strengthen its impact on loyalty. From a theoretical perspective, our research adds two novel constructs—user–avatar identification and avatar–avatar identification—that play key roles in AMC in addition to the well-known effects of social presence. From a practical perspective, our research helps developers better design online games and virtual worlds such as the metaverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To investigate whether education, tenure, being an advanced practice nurse, skill level, and time pressure impact perceptions of "having a place" and, further, turnover intentions. Background: Nursing shortages persist worldwide. Nurses' turnover intentions are negatively related to their perceptions of "having a place" (i.e., the feeling that the nursing workplace is their territory). However, the sources of nurses' perceptions of the perception of "having a place" remain unknown. Methods: Our research employed a cross‐sectional and correlational design. This research was conducted at a large‐scale hospital in northern Taiwan from December 2021 to January 2022. We used personnel data pertaining to 430 nurses as well as scales for time pressure, "having a place" and turnover intentions to assess nurses' intention to leave their place of employment. The inclusion criteria focused on full‐time nurses who worked for the hospital under investigation. Most of our participants were women. The STROBE statement was used as the EQUATOR checklist (supplemental file). Results: "Having a place" was positively related to educational level, tenure, and skill level, while being an advanced practice nurse was negatively associated with perceptions of "having a place," which in turn were negatively related to turnover intention among nurses. Conclusion: Our study is the first to examine the antecedents of nurses' perceptions of "having a place," which include education, tenure, and skill level. Implications for nursing policy: Nursing policymakers could encourage nurses to pursue higher degrees and update their nursing skills while instilling perceptions of "having a place" in nurses with a brief tenure and advanced practice nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To examine the main effects and interaction effects of outcome expectations (e.g., anticipated satisfactory salary and benefits), nurse identity (a sense of membership in the nursing profession), and information‐access efficiency of the electronic medical record system (how the system enables nurses to quickly retrieve the needed information) on nurses' retention. Design: This study uses a cross‐sectional survey and adopts proportionate random sampling to recruit a representative sample of nurses of a medical centre in Taiwan. Methods: This study successfully obtained completed questionnaires from 430 nurses during December 2021 to January 2022. Data are analysed by using hierarchical regressions. Results: Positive outcome expectations and identification as a member in the nursing profession are associated with retention. Information‐access efficiency strengthens the link between outcome expectations and retention, while nurse identity weakens this link. Conclusion: Outcome expectations can help retain nurses, particularly those who perceive high levels of information‐access efficiency and possess weak nurse identity. That is, outcome expectations have a complementary role with nurse identity in retaining nurses. Implications for the Profession: Nurse managers should devise means to build positive outcome expectations for nurses. In addition, either strengthening nurses' identification with the nursing profession or improving the information‐access efficiency of the electronic medical system may also help retain nurses. Impact: This study examined how to transform outcome expectation to nurse retention, offering nurse managers to devise new means to retain nurses. Reporting Method: STROBE statement was chosen as EQUATOR checklist. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Organizational turnover exacerbates the shortage of nurses in the global workforce. However, no study has yet explored how deep structure usage—nurses' integration of electronic patient records into nursing practice delivery—reduces their turnover intention and moderates the impact of affective, continuance, and normative professional commitment on their turnover intention. Aims: To ascertain (1) the linkage between the deep structure usage of electronic patient records and nurses' organizational turnover intention and (2) the moderating role of deep structure usage on the associations between elements of commitment (affective, continuance, and normative) and turnover intention. Methods: Using a cross‐sectional survey and proportionate random sampling by ward unit, we collected data from 417 full‐time nurses via a self‐administered questionnaire. We performed hierarchical regression analyses to test the study hypotheses. Results: Deep structure usage was not directly related to organizational turnover intention (β = −0.07, p = 0.06). However, the results suggested that deep structure usage may enhance the effect of high affective commitment on nurses' organizational turnover intention (β = −0.09, p = 0.04), while potentially mitigating the effect of low continuance commitment on organizational turnover intention (β = 0.10, p = 0.01). Conclusions: Deep structure usage of electronic patient records helps to ease nurses' workload and facilitates their retention, which is particularly due to their affective commitment (attachment) but not their continuance commitment (switching costs). Implications for Nursing Management: Nursing management may advise hospital management that medical records systems need to be improved and fully embedded for nursing care delivery, as a more in‐depth use of these systems can help to retain nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]