Psychometric testing of the Norwegian version of the Simulation Design Scale, the Educational Practices Questionnaire and the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale in nursing education.

Inger Åse Reierson,Leiv Sandvik,Sissel Eikeland Husebø,Thor Arne Haukedal,Hilde Solli

doi:10.1016/j.ijnsa.2020.100012

Abstract

Simulation-based learning is a well-established technique in nursing education. However, there is a need for reliable and validated evaluation tools across both national boundaries and cultural conditions. Such evaluation tools may contribute in identifying areas for improvement in simulation-based learning from the nursing students' perspective. The aim of this study was to test three widely used American questionnaires - the Simulation Design Scale, the Educational Practices Questionnaire, and the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale, for psychometric properties among Norwegian undergraduate nursing students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a university simulation center in southern part of Norway. A total of 105 undergraduate nursing students participated, giving a response rate of 77%. An exploratory factor analysis was used to examine construct validity. Cronbach's alpha was applied in order to establish the questionnaires' internal consistency. The exploratory factor analyses displayed the same number of extracted factors as the number of subscales in each of the original American questionnaires. However, the item-factor structure differed from the original item-subscales. The Cronbach's alpha was > 0.7 for all three questionnaires, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Psychometric testing of the Norwegian versions of the three questionnaires, the Simulation Design Scale, the Educational Practices Questionnaire, and the Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale, could be used as valid instruments for nursing students to evaluate important aspects of simulation-based learning. This also makes it easier to compare evaluation results of SBL across languages and cultural boundaries. However, to confirm the construct validity of the factors extracted in this study, further multi-site studies are needed to perform a confirmatory factor analysis in a new, large sample.

Highlights

Simulation-based learning is a well-established technique in nursing education
As exploratory factor analysis (EFA) is considered a data reduction method (Kentaro and Yuan, 2010), our results confirmed that the Norwegian versions of Simulation Design Scale (SDS), Educational Practices Questionnaire (EPQ) and Self-Confidence in Learning Scale (SCLS) could be reduced to the same number of factors as the number of subscales in the original questionnaires
Based on the results of the current study, we suggest that the SDS and EPQ questionnaires in a Norwegian context should be separated into two parts: one presence of (PO) and one importance of (IO)

Summary

Introduction

Simulation-based learning is a well-established technique in nursing education. there is a need for reliable and validated evaluation tools across both national boundaries and cultural conditions. Conclusion: Psychometric testing of the Norwegian versions of the three questionnaires, the Simulation Design Scale, the Educational Practices Questionnaire, and the Student Satisfaction and SelfConfidence in Learning Scale, could be used as valid instruments for nursing students to evaluate important aspects of simulation-based learning. This makes it easier to compare evaluation results of SBL across languages and cultural boundaries. Robust evaluation using rigorous and valid methods is essential to reassure stakeholders of the value of simulation within healthcare

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Discussion

Conclusion