The Development of The Moral Identity Indicator for Nursing Students

Abstract

The purposes of this mixed-method research were to study and develop the components of moral identity indicators (MII) for student nurses at Phrachomklao Phetchaburi College of Nursing (PCKCN). A qualitative study at the initial stage of the study was conducted by reviewing literatures regarding Thai’s core values, Thai Qualification Framework for Higher Education, Nursing Ethics, Identities of PCKCN’s Graduates, and moral identity of PCKCN. In-depth interviews 20 persons among administers, constructors, students, and graduate users also yielded key Informants for the construction of the MII questionnaire. The developed MII questionnaire was composed of three levels of MII: individual level, college level and professional level, validated by three ethics experts (IOC = .67-1.00) and obtained good internal reliability of the questionnaire (Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient: α = .976). Language improvement was performed. The questionnaire was then applied to test among 364 student nurses of PCKCN. Moral identity indicators were analyzed by Factor Loading and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Results revealed that MII for student nurses at PCKCN comprised of 52 indicators showed consistency of the developed model and evidenced data (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure = .954 Chi square = 5709.06, df = 231 p = .000)