Nursing students' perception of academic support in the practicum: Development of a reliable and valid measurement instrument.

Abstract

The importance of practicum training in health sciences disciplines places prominence on the academic support received by students in this learning environment, both due to its leverage over their perceived level of satisfaction of academic proficiency as well as its impact on their academic performance. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale which facilitates the evaluation of academic support perceived by nursing students during their practicum. The sample is made up of 710 students from three academic levels of the Bachelor's Degree in Nursing. An instrument to evaluate the level of academic support perceived by the students was developed and validated. Subsequently, a measurement model of the dimensions which comprise the academic support in the practicum was created. The Academic Support in the Practicum Scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha value=0.913. The validation of the measurement instrument was carried out using confirmatory factor analysis and multi-sample analysis techniques, which presented positive goodness-of-fit indices. The developed tool has shown sufficient validity and high internal consistency. Its adequate psychometric properties lead to the conclusion that the scale provides a reliable and valid measurement of academic support perceived by students during their placement.