Individual-Level Variables Associated with Self-Efficacy in Nutritional Care for Older People among Italian Nurses: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Malnutrition in older people is still an unsolved issue. Clinical nurses have a key role in malnutrition prevention. This study aims to describe the individual-level variables associated with self-efficacy in nutrition care for older adults among nurses. A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was performed involving nurses from four northern Italy hospitals. The self-efficacy scale for nursing nutrition care (SE-NNC) and Multiple linear regression (MLR) models were used, enrolling 305 nurses. The mean SE-NNC total score was 53.3 ± 19.7. Considering the three dimensions of the SE-NNC, mean scores were 45.9 ± 21.7 for boosting knowledge, 55.4 ± SD = 20.3 for assessment and evidence utilization, and 57.7 ± 21.1 for care delivery. To be a younger nurse, working in a chronic care setting, and being male were associated with a higher level of self-efficacy, both considering the SE-NNC total score and its dimensions. Working in acute care settings and being an older nurse was associated with lower nursing self-efficacy in nutrition care for older adults.

Keywords:

• Aged
• attitudes
• health knowledge
• malnutrition
• nurse
• self-efficacy

Author contributions

RC, CA, and LB defined the research question, designed the study, supervised the data collection, and wrote the paper. CA and FD collected the data and reviewed the article. FD, RC, and LB were responsible for the statistical design of the study and for carrying out the statistical analysis.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by local research funds of the IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, a Clinical Research Hospital partially funded by the Italian Ministry of Health.