This study aims to identify concrete circumstantial factors that contribute the enhancement of nursing teachers'self-efficacy in the following four principle sources of information believed to influence teachers'self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997) : enactive mastery experience, verbal persuasion, vicarious experience, and physiological and affective states. Five nursing teachers in charge of nursing practice participated in this study. The design of the study was an inductive qualitative method. The focus group interview method was used. In reference to enactive mastery experience, self-efficacy was observed to improve when the teachers'clinical experiences were identical with their particular areas of supervision, and when student progress was discernable. With regard to verbal persuasion, teachers'self-efficacy was influenced by how the teachers were evaluated by their supervisors who are authorized to issue credits. Regarding to the vicarious experiences, teaching tips from supervisors, senior research assistants, and clinical training instructors helped to enhance teacher's self-efficacy. As for the physiological and affective states, the social climate of the cooperating institution affected the efficacy. Each teacher reduced strain and anxiety and controlled their emotions utilizing coping strategies acquired from their past experiences. The results suggest that the improvement of the nursing practicum environment is necessary in order to enhance teacher's self-efficacy. Furthermore, teachers themselves need to be fully aware of their strengths based on their successful teaching experience recognized.

The aim of this study was to develop a scale to measure recognition of the profession of nursing (SRPN) and to examine the reliability and validity of the scale.

Questionnaires each consisting of 50 items, were sent to 239 nurses and 209 of those nurses return ed completed questionnaires. Factor analysis (initial factor method, varimax rotation) identified five factors with 25 items. Factors were named'Education' 'Thinking and understanding' 'Personality' 'Role understanding' and 'Contribution to society'.

Cronbach's alpha coefficient was O.738-0.843 for internal consistency reliability of SRPN, and the test-retest reliability for stability of SRPN was O.887 in 74 nurses. The content validity was supported by the results of factor analysis. The criterion-related validity of SRPN was confirmed by the Life Worth Living Scale. The construct validity of SRPN was confirmed by its correspondence to the Japanese Corwin/Lawler Nursing Role Conception Scale and the Japanese 6-D Scale. These results indicate that SRPN has significant reliability and validity.