ABSTRACT
Objectives:
to describe the development and validation process of a scale to measure the nurses' perception of the activities that contribute to nursing care quality.
Method:
methodological study based on a literature review, the opinion of experts and the experience of study investigators. An instrument was designed containing six dimensions and 25 items, applied as a questionnaire to 775 nurses from a hospital in northern Portugal, from May to July 2014. The instrument validation used an exploratory factor analysis and an internal consistency assessment of each factor/dimension.
Results:
the factor analysis indicated the need to adjust the original composition of the scale, which then received one more dimension, totaling seven dimensions and the same 25 items, and presented a high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha of 0.940).
Conclusion:
the final version of the scale presents adequate psychometric properties, with potential use in future studies.
Descriptors:
Nursing; Health Care Quality Assurance; Nursing Services; Nursing Care; Validation Studies