Psychology Research and Behavior Management (Apr 2021)
Influence of Core Competence on Voice Behavior of Clinical Nurses: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
Abstract
Yufang Guo,1,2 Xinxin Wang,2 Virginia Plummer,3– 5 Wendy Cross,5 Louisa Lam,5,6 Shuangshuang Wang2 1School of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, People’s Republic of China; 2School of Nursing, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, 07100, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3199, Australia; 4Peninsula Health, Frankston, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; 5School of Health, Federation University Australia, Berwick, Victoria, 3806, Australia; 6School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3806, AustraliaCorrespondence: Yufang GuoSchool of Nursing and Rehabilitation, Shandong University, 44 Wen Hua Xi Road, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People’s Republic of ChinaEmail [email protected]: Voice behavior, referred to as a positive guarantee for organizational development, is influenced by several kinds of individual, collective and organizational features. However, the impact of individual competence on voice behavior is unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the status quo of core competence and voice behavior of clinical nurses and explore the impact of core competence on nurses’ voice behavior.Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey. A total of 1717 nurses were recruited from nine tertiary and secondary hospitals between March and June 2019. An online questionnaire, including socio-demographic variables, employee voice behavior scale and competence inventory for registered nurses, was used to investigate prohibitive and promotive voice behavior and core competence of clinical nurses. Pearson correlation and hierarchical multiple regression were performed in the data analysis.Results: The mean score for prohibitive and promotive voice behavior of nurses were 3.46 (SD 0.77) and 3.46 (SD 0.88), respectively. The mean score for core competence was 2.46 (SD 0.77). Critical thinking/research aptitude was the most important predictor for both prohibitive and promotive voice behavior (each p < 0.05), but its influence on promotive voice behavior was greater (p < 0.05). Leadership was another significant predictor for prohibitive voice behavior (p < 0.05). Legal/ethical practice, teaching-coaching, professional development and shift work were other predictors for promotive voice behavior (each p < 0.05).Conclusion: Clinical nurses experience modest levels of prohibitive and promotive voice behavior and their core competence is moderate. Core competence, especially critical thinking/research aptitude, impacts significantly on voice behavior of clinical nurses. Cultivating nurses’ core competence could positively increase their voice behavior for organizational development.Keywords: clinical site, core competence, cross-sectional survey, nurse, voice behavior
