Testing Nursing Competence: Validity and Reliability of the Nursing Performance Profile

The mediating role of nutritional care literacy on the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence

BACKGROUND

Nurses' nursing competence and nutritional care literacy directly affect patients' health and safety. Self-directed learning ability was pervasive throughout the entire work process of nursing work and was the basis for improving both. However, there are few studies has explored the mechanism from the perspective of nutritional care literacy. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence, and to explore the mediating role of nutritional care literacy between self-directed learning and nursing competence among clinical nurses in China.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 805 clinical nurses recruited from seven general hospitals in Hunan Province, China, between January 25 and March 6, 2022. The self-directed learning ability, nutritional care literacy and nursing competence of nurses were evaluated through investigation. A total of 799 questionnaires were received, resulting in an response rate of 99.25%.We performed an intermediary modeling to examine the mediating roles of nutritional care literacy on the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence in clinical nurses.

RESULTS

Self-directed learning ability was positively correlated with nutritional care  literacy (r=0.792, P<0.001) and nursing competence (r=0.696, P<0.001). Nutritional care literacy was positively correlated with nursing competence (r=0.658, P<0.001). Nutritional care literacy mediated the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence. The mediating effect accounted for 32.48% of the total effect and 48.10% of the direct effect .

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirmed the positive correlation between self-directed learning ability, nutritional care literacy, and nursing competence. Nutritional care  literacy played a mediating role in the relationship between self-directed learning ability and nursing competence. The findings not only provide a novel strategy for cultivating nursing professionals and improving nurse disease care abilities, but also offer a new perspective for nursing educators and managers.

Development and Psychometric Testing of Task and Contextual Performance Scales for Clinical Nurses

Background and Purpose: This study aims to develop a task performance scale and a contextual performance scale for clinical nurses and to test the scales psychometrically. Methods: This study was carried out in two phases in a private hospital group. During the first phase, the initial scales were developed, and then the validity and reliability of the scales were analyzed; 154 nurses participated in the second phase. Results: The task performance scale consisted of two factors (total variance explained: 75.87%); the contextual performance scale consisted of three factors (total variance explained: 74.05%). The content validity indexes of both scales were 0.99. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients of both scales were 0.98. The test-retest reliability and inter-rater agreement of the scales were also good. Conclusions: The scales can contribute to nursing literature and hospital managers in assessing the performance of clinical nurses.

Implementation and Assessment of a Urology Education Curriculum for Nursing Residents

BACKGROUND

Urethral catheter placement is a common hospital procedure, and the urology service is often consulted for difficult catheterizations. Simulation-based education is used to improve procedural proficiency and could be used to increase confidence and comfort with difficult catheter placement. This study provides simulation-based education to help new nursing residents learn to perform independent Foley catheter placement and maintenance.

METHOD

All incoming nursing residents at our institution prospectively participated in this curriculum beginning in January 2020 (n = 291). Participants watched an instructional video and participated in a hands-on simulation.

RESULTS

Nursing trainees rated pre- to post-curriculum gains in content knowledge (p < .001) and confidence (p < .001). Participants reported that the curriculum increased their understanding of the procedure (p < .001) and that they would recommend it to peers (p < .001).

CONCLUSION

This educational initiative is a partnership between the Department of Urology and Department of Nursing to introduce and reinforce best practices for the care of patients who need Foley catheter placement and maintenance. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(11):511-516.].

Clinical Competence Assessed Using Simulation: Development of a Standardized Tool to Assess Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam Skill Competence for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists

OBJECTIVE

This study details development and testing of a tool designed to evaluate clinical competence by registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) on the nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE). The process demonstrated in this study can be adapted for assessment of other clinical skills in competency-based education programs, such as Accreditation Council on Education in Nutrition and Dietetics' Future Model of Dietetics Education.

DESIGN AND SETTING

The tool was tested for content validity, then used to assess the videotaped performance of the NFPE with standardized patients in a simulated clinical environment.

PARTICIPANTS

Seven expert raters assessed the relevance of the tool's items for content validity. For other tests, the tool was used by 3 dietetics faculty to score a group of 18 RDNs.

VARIABLES AND ANALYSIS

Content validity was tested using the item-level Content Validity Index. Interrater reliability and internal consistency of the tool were calculated and assessed.

RESULTS

The interrater reliability results indicated excellent agreement between raters, both overall (kappa statistic = 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.86-0.87; P < 0.001) and on individual items. Cronbach α statistic was calculated at α = .91, indicating excellent internal consistency.

CONCLUSIONS

The tool represents an instrument that can assess competence in the NFPE among RDNs and may be used as a template for development of other competency-based education assessment tools.

The Nature of Nursing Competency in Simulation of Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing: Exploratory Factor Analysis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Educators, employers, and regulatory agencies face substantive challenges in evaluating nursing competency. Evidence on what competency is and how to measure it can mitigate the challenges.

METHODS

Participants (N = 67) completed three high-fidelity simulation tests. Each video-recorded test was scored by three raters using a 41-item instrument. Exploratory factor analysis was used to define the latent structure of the instrument.

RESULTS

A five-factor solution accounted for 56% of the variance, minimized negative loadings, and minimized the number of cross-loadings. The factors were minimally correlated (each r < .30).

CONCLUSIONS

The factors, Vigilant Action, Role Nuances, Precision, Procedural Skills, and Risk Reduction, represent integrated dimensions of competency that can be linked to specific tasks underlying safe practice.