Psychometric Evaluation of the Clinical Skills Self-Efficacy Scale

AIM This study uses self-efficacy as a theoretical framework for clinical skills instruction. BACKGROUND Questions remain regarding the mechanism through which instruction on clinical skills in simulated laboratory settings enables students to successfully incorporate these skills in a clinical setting. Research is needed to determine what type of simulated instruction motivates students to successfully transfer clinical skills learned in a simulated laboratory to patients in a clinical setting. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to psychometrically evaluate an instrument designed to measure clinical skills self-efficacy in nursing students. METHOD The instrument was administered to 191 sophomore, junior, and senior-level nursing students. RESULTS This study provides beginning evidence to support the psychometric properties of the investigator-developed Clinical Self-Efficacy Scales (CSES). CONCLUSION Future research needs to focus on investigating the relationship between increased self-efficacy and the successful enactment of clinical skills.