Factors Related to Assertiveness among Preceptors of Novice Nurses One Year after Commencement of Employment.

This study aims to identify levels of assertiveness among preceptors of novice nurses one year after the commencement of employment and determine factors related to their assertiveness. An anonymous self-rating questionnaire survey was administered to 1292 preceptors working in participating city and university hospitals across Japan. The survey had question items from the Japanese version of the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (J-RAS, 30 items) characteristics for the participants (demographic details), evaluation of the novice nurses, instruction framework, self-evaluation of the preceptors, working environment, and a burnout inventory (Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, 22 items). Bivariate analyses (T-tests and oneway analysis of variance) were conducted using assertiveness as the objective variable, and other surveyed items as explanatory variables. Bivariate analyses (t-tests and one-way analysis of variance) were conducted using assertiveness as the objective variable, and other surveyed items as explanatory variables. Selecting variables with p values smaller than 0.2 obtained in the bivariate analysis as explanatory variables, and also a multiple linear regression analysis (Stepwise method). For the analyses, we used a statistics analysis software, SPSS Statistic 22. Excluding administrative nurses, responses from 885 participants (83.7%) were analyzed. Factors related to higher levels of the assertiveness of preceptors were 'Making rapid decisions', 'Having confidence in the nursing at the present workplace', and 'Having persons outside workplace to consult with', and a factor related to lower levels of the assertiveness was 'High total burnout score' (adjusted R2, 22.4%). Factors related to higher levels of the assertiveness of preceptors of novice nurses one year after the commencement of employment were having positive self-evaluations and having persons outside workplace to consult with. The factor related to lower assertiveness was a high total burnout score. It was found that a positive self-evaluation was associated with higher assertiveness and lower likelihood of burnout regardless of when the instruction of novice nurses takes place. It is necessary for supervisors to promote the assertiveness of preceptors by improving the working environment to ensure assertiveness and prevent burnout. Such conditions will make it possible for preceptors to build an assertive relationship with novice nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]