First Advisor

Records, Kathryn A.

First Committee Member

Pool, Natalie M.

Second Committee Member

Tracy, Andy

Third Committee Member

Allen, Michael Todd

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Document Type

Dissertation

Date Created

8-2025

Department

College of Natural and Health Sciences, Nursing, Nursing Student Work

Abstract

Academic self-efficacy is a student’s belief in their ability to accomplish educational goals. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of academic self-efficacy in nurse anesthesia residents using the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale (CASES). Three research questions guided the study:

Q1 What is the academic self-efficacy of current nurse anesthesia residents as measured by the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale?

Q2 What are the factors that predict academic self-efficacy in nurse anesthesia residents?

Q3 What is the appropriate cut-off score on the College Academic Self-Efficacy Scale for identifying residents with low academic self-efficacy?

A total of 233 completed the survey for a completion rate of 7.4%. The mean age of survey participants was 32 years; females comprised 66.5% of survey respondents. The average time enrolled in a nurse anesthesia program was 29.2 months. Most participants (61%) were in the clinical phase of their nurse anesthesia program, and 95.7% of respondents were not working. The average number of years of critical experience was 4.76, and the mean number of years since earning a previous degree was 7.3. Reliability analysis for this iteration of the CASES resulted in a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of .91. The mean self-efficacy score for the sample was 3.91 (SD = 0.51) on a 5-point Likert scale. In a multiple regression, length of time in a nurse anesthesia program (p = .048) and working status during the program (p = .042) positively affected academic self-efficacy (R2 = .054). A quartile approach was used to identify a cutoff score, where a raw CASES score below 106 and a mean CASES score below 3.53 indicated low academic self-efficacy.

Academic self-efficacy was positively predicted by increased length of time in a nurse anesthesia program and being employed while in a nurse anesthesia program. Age, gender, nurse anesthesia program phase, years of critical care experience, and years since earning the last degree did not affect academic self-efficacy in this study. Nurse anesthesia educators and residents should be aware of the non-predictive value of these variables, which might help eliminate perceived barriers to academic self-efficacy.

Abstract Format

html

Places

Greeley, Colorado

Extent

112 pages

Local Identifiers

Jones_unco_0161D_11343.pdf

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

Digital Origin

Born digital

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