A structural model of nursing students’ performing communication skills

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural model of nursing students’ performing communication skills.Methods: The data collection was conducted from October 13 to October 20, 2020. The participants were 286 students from nursing colleges located in three cities. The data analysis method was a covariance structure analysis with using IBM SPSS statistics version 23.0 and AMOS 21.0 statistical programs.Results: The hypothetical model showed a proper fit with the data: root mean square error of approximation=.08, standardized root mean square residual=.06, adjusted goodness of fit=.85, normed fit index=.91, and comparative fit index=.94. The model fit indices were normed to fit index=2.96. Statistically significant explanatory variables for the performing communication skills of nursing students were peer support, emotional intelligence, ethical sensitivity, and communication self-efficacy. The variables accounted for 66.1% of the performing communication skills of nursing students.Conclusion: Based on the above results, it appears necessary to develop strategies for improving the performing communication skills of nursing students, and having positive effects on health outcomes of the subjects by considering the variables of peer support, emotional intelligence, ethical sensitivity, and communication self-efficacy. Such strategies could potentially have positive effects on the health outcomes of the patients.