Abstract
Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a scale for use in evaluating professional ability among nurses to successfully implement discharge planning (Nurses’ Discharge Planning Ability Scale, or NDPAS).
Method: A questionnaire survey of 819 nurses in charge of discharge planning was conducted with 62 questions based on the concept of competency by McClelland (1973). Appropriate questions were selected from the outcomes, and the reliability and validity of the scale were investigated.
Results: A total of 461 Discharge Planning Nurses (DPNs) took part in the analysis (response rate: 56.3%). As a result of exploratory factor analysis, four factors and 24 questions were constructed. Cronbach’s α for the overall scale was 0.942, and the corresponding values for the subscales ranged from 0.827 to 0.885. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale was suitable for evaluation. As expected, there was a notable correlation between some subscales of Discharge Planning-Process Evaluation Measurement (DCP-PEM) and Self-Assessment Inventory of Leadership role for staff nurses (SAIL).
Conclusion: The results of the study confirmed the scale’s internal consistency, construction validity and concurrent validity. As the metric successfully highlights the four characteristic ability factors of DPNs, it can be considered highly practical and useful for the development of such nursing staff.
