Nurse Professional Competence Scale Research Articles

Self-reported competence among advanced practice nursing students in Denmark, Finland and Norway: a cross-sectional multicentre study.

The health care systems in the Nordic countries and worldwide are under pressure due to increased longevity and a shortage of nurses. Providing nurses with a high level of education, such as advanced practice nursing, is of great importance to ensure effective, safe and high-quality care. The aim of this study was to investigate self-reported competence using the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short-Form for the first time among master's students of advanced practice nursing in the Nordic countries and to relate the findings to age, work obligations, child-rearing responsibilities, level of education and clinical nursing experience. A multicentre, cross-sectional design was used in this study conducted at five universities in Denmark, Finland and Norway. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short-Form consisting of six competence areas was used with a maximum score of 7 per item for the analysis of single items and a transformed scale from 14.3 to 100 for analysing the competence areas (higher score equals higher self-reported competence). Descriptive and comparative statistics were used to analyse the data. The highest mean score was found for the competence area 'Value-based nursing care'. Students living with home-dwelling children (≤ 18 years) reported significantly higher competence in 'Nursing care', while students ≥33 years reported significantly higher competence in 'Nursing care' and 'Value-based nursing care'. No significant differences were found between students working and those not working alongside their studies, between students with and without further nursing-related education, or between students with long and short experience as nurses. The findings from this study might help to further develop curricula in advanced practice nursing master's programmes to ensure high-quality nursing and sustainable health care in the future. Future high-quality master's programmes might benefit from systematic collaboration between Nordic higher education institutions as also Sweden is planning master's programme. Higher age, having children at home and working while studying should not be considered causes for concern.

Translation, validation and psychometric properties oftheAlbanian version of the Nurses Professional Competence Scale Short form.

The primary aim of this study was the translation and psychometric validation of the Albanian Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (A-NPCS-SF) for further application in Albanian healthcare settings. The multiphase design used to develop the A-NPCS-SF comprised (1) cultural and linguistic validation, (2) content and face validity, and (3) construct validity. The A-NPCS-SF showed adequate content validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the six-factor structure of the A-NPCS-SF to explain the data obtained from the nurses. The A-NPCS-SF showed evidence of validity and reliability in measuring four professional competencies. Having an appropriate scale in Albanian for professional competence self-assessment by nurses constitutes an essential step in measuring these competencies. (www.actabiomedica.it).

An Observational Cross-Sectional Study on the Correlation between Professional Competencies and Self-Efficacy in Albanian Registered Nurses.

(1) Background: The assessment and application of registered nurses' professional skills are essential to providing quality and safe care. Self-efficacy can positively affect the professional competence of registered nurses. This study analysed professional competence and its association with self-efficacy among registered nurses. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The sampling was conventional. The data collection took place through the Albanian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (A-NPCS-SF), which was used to assess their professional skills, and the Albanian version of the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale (A-NPSES), which was used to assess their self-efficacy. The study was based on a convenience sample of 985 registered nurses from the 12 Albanian provinces. (3) Results: The Cronbach alpha value for the A-NPCS-SF scale was 0.947, while for the A-NPSES scale, it was 0.875, proving both scales to be reliable. Self-efficacy does not play an essential role in the development of the professional competence of registered nurses since our survey found only one dimension correlates with these two elements. (4) Conclusions: The results of our analysis have instead highlighted the importance of a close relationship between job satisfaction and the development of professional skills.

Emergency care nurses’ self-reported clinical competence before and after postgraduate education - a cross-sectional study

Changing prerequisites in healthcare leads to the increased complexity of nursing. Since there are no regulations on re-validation of competencies for emergency nurses in Sweden there is sparse knowledge on how nurses develop competencies after registration as nurses (RN). Aim: To describe self-reported professional competence after postgraduate education among RNs in emergency care settings. Method: A cross-sectional design and STROBE guidelines were used. The short version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale was used for data collection and the data were collected before and after postgraduate education, descriptive and comparative statistic was used for analysis. Results: 62 (71%) students participated in the first data collection and an independent group of 31 (48%) students participated in the second data collection. The results showed generally good competencies before entering education and significantly improved competencies after education were found in areas of working independently and reviewing literature for evidence-based nursing Conclusion: The competencies were assessed as very good after education. Evaluating nurses' competencies supports educators in developing education to ensure the need for knowledge in emergency care. To ensure required competencies among emergency care nurses there is a need to regulate additional training and re-validation of emergency nurses’ competencies.

Factors Related to Nursing Students’ Competence in Pandemic Situation

Due to the epidemic, nursing students were barred from practising in hospitals throughout their co-assistance phase. A comprehensive examination of their perceptions of their skills throughout this period will help enhance education, eliminate gaps, and produce well-trained nurses. Therefore, this study examines co-assistant nursing students' perspectives on their competency and the factors that influence it. The research method was a correlational survey approach. There were 297 co-assistant nursing students chosen as a sample using a consecutive sampling technique from 1085 co-assistant nursing students who were registered at PD-DIKTI. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPCS-SF), which has 35 items, was used to measure the clinical competence of respondents. Bivariate analysis used the Chi-Square test with a 95% confidence interval, while multivariate analysis used Logistic Regression. From the research process, this study found that most respondents perceive that they are less competent in learning during this pandemic (71.4%). It also can be concluded that respondents' satisfaction with learning methods and facilities is significantly related to students' competence (<0.05). Based on the value of OR, respondents who are satisfied with the learning method during the pandemic will be 1.7 times the opportunity to be competent compared to those who do not. From the logistic regression results, only the respondents' satisfaction with learning facilities during the pandemic significantly affected their perceptions of their competence. In conclusion, the clinical competence of co-assistance nursing students is strongly influenced by the learning facilities they get. Pandemic conditions cause students to not be facilitated optimally at a hospital or other clinical settings, ultimately reducing their confidence in the competencies experienced.

The Arabic Nurse Professional Competence-Short Version Scale (NPC-SV-A): Transcultural Translation and Adaptation with a Cohort of Saudi Nursing Students.

There is broad consensus that assessing and improving the competence of nurses is a crucial element of nursing education and practice. Numerous national and international nursing research studies have used the 35-item Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV) to measure the self-reported competence of nursing students and registered nurses. To increase its usage in Arabic-speaking nations, however, a culturally adapted Arabic version of the scale with the same level of quality was necessary. The study aimed to develop a culturally adapted Arabic version of the NPC-SV and evaluate its reliability and validity (construct, convergent, and discriminant types). Methodological descriptive cross-sectional design was utilized. A convenience sampling technique was employed to recruit 518 undergraduate nursing students from three Saudi Arabian institutions. The translated items were appraised by a panel of experts, who considered the content validity indexes. The structure of the translated scale was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modelling, and the Analysis of Moment Structure method. When utilized with nursing students in Saudi Arabia, the Arabic short version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale (NPC-SV-A) was shown to be reliable and valid in terms of its content, construct, convergent, and discriminant validity. Cronbach's alpha for the entire NPC-SV-A scale was 0.89 and varied from 0.83 to 0.89 for each of the six subscales. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed six significant factors with 33 items that accounted for 67.52 percent of the variance. The scale was congruent with the suggested six-dimensional model, as confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The Arabic version of the NPC-SV, which was reduced to 33 items, showed good psychometric properties, with a six-factor structure accounting for 67.52% of the total variance. When used alone, this 33-item scale can allow for more in-depth evaluations of self-reported competence among nursing students and licensed nurses.

Factors associated with changes in students’ self-reported nursing competence after clinical rotations: a quantitative cohort study

BackgroundThe quality of nursing care in different healthcare contexts can be associated with the level of available nursing competence. Physical assessment skills are vital in nurses' assessment of patient care needs. However, in nursing education, using physical assessment skills is challenging for nursing students who struggle to apply these skills comprehensively in a clinical rotation. Therefore, this study explores changes in nursing competence, factors associated with changes after clinical rotations, and whether a Suite of Mobile Learning Tools supports changes in confident use of basic physical assessment skills.MethodsA quantitative cohort study with an explorative pre-and post-test design. During autumn 2019 and spring 2020, 72 s-year nursing students and 99 third-year students participated in the study. The Nurse Professional Competence scale short form was used to investigate students’ self-reported changes in nursing competence, and a study-specific questionnaire was used to investigate students’ confidence concerning performing physical assessments. The students voluntarily used the Suite of Mobile Learning Tools for the learning of physical assessment. Linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with changes in nursing competence after clinical rotation. The STROBE guidelines for cohort studies were followed for study reporting.ResultsAfter the clinical rotation, both student groups reported changes in nursing competence and confidence in performing physical assessment skills, with statistically significant moderate or large changes in all areas. The Suite of Mobile Learning Tools was evaluated as being useful for learning physical assessment. The regression analysis showed that confidence in performing physical assessment skills, the usefulness of the Suite of Mobile Learning Tools, and a higher nursing competence at the start of clinical rotation were positively associated with overall nursing competence.ConclusionBasic physical assessment skills are an important component of nursing competence and can be considered one of the pillars of person-centered care, as proposed by the Fundamentals of Care framework. Spaced repetition and access to digital resources are suggested pedagogical approaches to enhance student confidence in the use of assessment skills within academic and clinical contexts.

The nurse professional competence scale: Self-reported professional competence among newly graduated nursing students in Saudi Arabia

Background: Nursing students should develop sufficient professional competence during their nursing education as a prerequisite for providing safe care of high quality utilizing a holistic approach that suits the caring context of their patients. Despite the abundance of studies on professional competence in international literature such as the Scandinavian countries, there are no studies conducted in the Middle East in general and in Saudi Arabia in particular. Aim: The current report is part of a larger study that assessed the self-reported professional competence of newly graduated nursing students in Saudi Arabia. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional correlational study was carried out with a convenience sample of 317 senior Saudi students at the point of graduation from a nursing college affiliated with a public university in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Data was collected using the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale – a short version consisting of 35 items and the 10-item General Self-Efficacy (GSE) Scale. Statistical Analysis: The mean scores were calculated for the competency areas, and the median score and interquartile were used for nonparametric variables that were not normally distributed (Shapiro–test). The Chi-square test for data between groups, the Kruskal–Wallis test for comparing more than two independent groups, and Mann–Whitney U-test for comparing two independent groups. In addition, Spearman correlation coefficients to test correlations between groups and the NPC Scale. Results: Students scored highest in the competence areas of nursing care, value-based nursing care, and care pedagogics and lowest scores in the areas of documentation and administration of nursing care, development, leadership and organization of nursing care, and medical and technical care. Professional competence was significantly associated with students' quality of health and GSE. Conclusion: It is important to incorporate competencies in the nursing program and to assess newly graduated students' competence upon graduation. We suggest a follow-up study of these graduates to assess the development of professional competencies and self-efficacy across their internship years.

Psychometric evaluation of the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPC–SF–AUT)

Background and objective: The continuous assessment of nursing competence is internationally established and an important task in the further development of professional nursing. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form is a potentially appropriate instrument to assess the competence of Austrian Registered Nurses (RN). However, the translated and Austrian-specific culturally adapted version of the scale has not yet been sufficiently psychometrically tested. The aim of this study was to test the validity and internal consistency of the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form.Methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study. Between October 2021 and January 2022, Registered Nurses from a total of 16 hospitals were invited to assess their competencies using the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form. Principal axis factor analysis with Promax rotation was performed to test construct validity. Both Cronbach's Alpha and McDonald’s Omega coefficients were used to evaluate internal consistency.Results: Data from a total of 576 Registered Nurses were included in the psychometric evaluation. Both the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin coefficient (KMO = 0.958) and the significant Bartlett test (χ2 = 12430.988; df = 595; p < .001) indicated appropriate fit of the data for factor analysis. Using principal axis factor analysis with Promax rotation, five factors were extracted, explaining a total of 60.5% of the variances. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form German Austrian language version (NPC–SF–AUT) thus comprises 35 items representing the five factors “Health promotion and safeguarding” (13 items), “Multi-professional cooperation and development” (7 items), “Process-guided nursing care” (5 items), “Inclusive decision-making” (5 items) and “Rule-governed professional practice” (5 items). Both the factor-specific Cronbach’s Alpha and McDonald’s Omega coefficients confirmed good to excellent (α = 0.83-0.92; Ω = 0.83-0.92) internal consistency of the NPC-SF-AUT.Conclusions: The NPC–SF–AUT is a valid and internal consistent instrument for the self-assessment of RNs’ competence in Austria. The instrument can be used for the continuous assessment of nursing competence and thus contribute to the advancement of the nursing profession.

Evaluation of Austrian nurses’ competence and factors related to it: An exploratory cross-sectional study

Background and objective: The continuous assessment of Registered Nurses' (RNs') competence is important at individual, organizational and systemic levels. Qualifications, the professional working environment as well as experience influence nursing competence. Nursing has significantly changed over the last 25 years in Austria, but RNs’ competence has not been evaluated so far. The aim of the study was to assess nursing competence of Austrian RNs, considering relevant influencing factors.Methods: An exploratory cross-sectional study was conducted. Between October 2021 and February 2022 a total of 841 RNs from 16 Austrian hospitals self-assessed their nursing competencies using the Austrian version of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale Short Form (NPC-SF-AUT). Multiple subgroup analyses with regard to theoretically reasonable influence factors on nursing competence were performed to explore differences in the extent of RNs’ competence.Results: Competencies in scale factors Multi-professional development and cooperation as well as in Health promotion and safeguarding were found as lowest. The overall work experience as well as further education and training had a significant influence on nursing competence, whereas the type of nursing education (vocational vs. higher education), the professional understanding of nursing care and the type of medical discipline did not.Conclusions: Appropriate structures must be implemented to ensure the development and application of Austrian RNs’ basically acquired competencies in practice.

Transcultural adaptation and validity of the nurse professional competence scale Korean version for graduating nursing students: An explanatory factor analysis.

The study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the short-form Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Korean version (NPC-K) among Korean nursing students at the point of graduation. This was a cross-sectional survey. The Nurse Professional Competence scale was translated into Korean using the World Health Organization (WHO) translation method. A total of 195 graduating nursing students participated. Exploratory factor analysis for validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficients for reliability were examined. Factor analysis showed that five NPC-K factors accounted for 68.38% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.97. The NPC-K has high internal reliability and acceptable construct validity. The content of the scale reflected nursing students' confidence in formal competence requirements based on Korean cultural and educational backgrounds. An accurate assessment of nurse professional competence using the NPC-K may help nursing academics enhance the quality of education and training.

Self-reported Professional Competence Among Swedish Contact Nurses in Cancer Care: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Since 2011, patients in Swedish cancer care have been offered a contact nurse (CN). The CN role is to improve patient participation, care continuity, and provide information and manage patients’ symptoms and needs across the whole continuum of the cancer pathway. A competence profile for the CN role is yet to be developed, and it is important to assess CNs’ self-reported competence to assure that they are well equipped for the role. Objectives: To assess self-reported professional competence among contact nurses working in Swedish cancer care and relate the findings to education level and clinical experience. Methods: The Nurse Professional Competence scale short form (35 items) was used to assess the nurses’ professional competence. Data were collected through a web-based survey in 2017 in 2 regional cancer centers in Sweden. Results: One hundred eight CNs participated in the study and reported highest scores in “value-based nursing care” and lowest scores in “development, leadership, and organization of nursing care.” Higher age, extended clinical work experience, and academic degree were significantly associated with higher competence. Conclusions: CNs with extensive work experience and CNs with an academic degree reported higher scores concerning their generic competence. There is a need in future studies to assess CNs’ specific competence in cancer care. Implications for Practice: There is room for improvement in the competence development of CNs, primarily in the areas of leadership and organization of nursing care. What is Foundational: CNs’ competence regarding leadership and organization should be improved, preferably as part of academic education.

Implementation of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in Croatia in order to use it as a valid and reliable instrument for assessing nurses’ competence. Methodological study. Content and construct validity as well as internal consistency and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted. The six-factor structure of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia was confirmed by CFA. The six-factor model showed a satisfactory fit to the data (RMSEA = 0.085, CFI = 0.84). All factor loadings were significant at p < 0.05. Cronbach’s alpha for each scale ranged from 0.76 to 0.92. The psychometric properties of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale in the Republic of Croatia show that the scale is a reliable and valid measurement tool and as such can be used in research to assess the quality of professional competencies of nurses. The Scale consists of 35 items distributed in six competence areas.

What about nurses’ competencies in Europe?−Translation process of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale into German within the European Network of Nursing Academies and its use

The link between the level of qualification described as competence of the nursing staff and the patient outcome is repeatedly indicated in patient’s safety studies. The Bologna process initiated in 1999 triggered a Europe-wide reform process in the field of education, leading to reforms in nursing education in Europe that promoted the academization of nursing in many countries. In this context, a shift from teaching to learning outcomes occurred which spurred the development of competence frameworks at the European, national and profession-specific level. Competence measurement instruments are important for improving nursing education as well as nursing practice. Studies using such instruments can point to the strength and limitations of the educational and of the health care system of the countries under study. The aim of this article is to describe the translation process of the English version of the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale to create a German version to be used within German-speaking countries within the European Network of Nursing Academies (ENNA). The background of translating the NPC Scale from English into German is a European research project initiated by ENNA in which 11 European Higher Education Institutes participated. The article proceeds by providing information about nursing work in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. By accounting for the nationally specific conditions of nursing education and by describing the translation process, the study points to the relevance of context specific conditions for measuring self-reported professional competences. Making transparent the translation process supports the applicability of this scale in other research projects.

Psychometric evaluation of Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Short-form Chinese language version among nursing graduate students.

AimThe aim of the study was to determine the psychometric properties, construct validity and internal consistency of the Chinese language version of the Nurse Professional Competence scale short form.DesignA methodological design was used.MethodsQuestionnaire data from 260 nursing students nearing graduation from 2 universities in China were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis, known‐group validity and internal consistency.ResultsThe confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the model was acceptable, and the analyses for known‐group validity revealed statistically significant differences in all factors and the total scale of the Nurse Professional Competence scale short form. Internal consistency revealed that Cronbach's alpha values exceeded 0.70 for all factors and the total scale. The Chinese language version of the Nurse Professional Competence scale short form has acceptable construct validity and good internal consistency.

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Slovenian version of the nurse professional competence scale

BackgroundThe competency-based approach to the assessment of nursing practice has been adopted as a key policy in the developed world. The continual self-assessment of competence gives nurses the opportunity to reflect on their competencies and has a significant impact on the quality of nursing practice and patient safety. The study was designed to describe the process of cross-cultural adaptation and to assess the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the Nurse Professional Competence scale (NPC-SF) and to evaluate the efficacy of this instrument in a sample of registered nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional and validation study was conducted in 425 registered nurses to test the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the scale and to evaluate nurses’ professional competence. A multilevel approach was used: Translation, back-translation, language validity, face and content validity, construct validity, and reliability of the Slovenian version of the scale were analysed respectively. Participants completed an online survey, with the data being collected between April and July 2020.ResultsFactor analysis showed that the Slovenian version of the scale could be used in four dimensions explained with 65 % of the variance. Cronbach’s α was 0.972. The four-factor model fit the data (RMSEA = 0.083, CFI = 0.731). Self-reported competence was high and rated higher by nurses employed at the tertiary level of healthcare, followed by nurses employed at the secondary and primary, and from social care institutions. Nurses with more years of experience assessed their competence higher.ConclusionsThe NPC-SF helps understand and identify nurses’ self-reported core competencies in clinical settings, thereby providing an important predictor of the professional development of nursing. The Slovenian version of the scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and may be used in research and clinical practice to evaluate nurses’ professional competence.

Professional Competence Among Registered Nurses Working in Hospitals in Saudi Arabia and Their Experiences of Quality of Nursing Care and Patient Safety.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) plans to become self-sufficient, generating a national nursing workforce. The study's purpose was to assess nurses' self-reported professional competence and illuminate experiences of the quality of nursing care and patient safety. A cross-sectional design with 469 nurses working in different units from two public hospitals and Regions of the KSA participated. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale short version including six professional areas of nursing care was used. There are significant relationships between self-reported professional competence and the quality of nursing care, patient safety, nurse's characteristics, and workplace. Registered nurses' professional competence is related to the clinical areas in which they work and the nature of their involvement in patient care. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale can identify professional competence areas for further development, which is important for culturally congruent health care in KSA for their transformation process.

Dual use of instruments for assessing nursing students professional- and clinical competence

BackgroundChanges in demographics and the development of health systems have a direct impact on patients' nursing needs and nurses' ability to meet them. Modern and forward-looking nursing education programmes that will help nursing students to develop their professional competence require useful tools for assessment and self-reflection that can be combined in theoretical and clinical education. ObjectivesTo investigate the associations between the Nurse Professional Competence Scale – Short Form (NPC-SF), and the tool Assessment of Clinical Education (AssCE) tool, and to assess the graduating students´ professional competence based on their self-assessment. DesignA cross-sectional descriptive study design was used. Participants and settingsA total of 151 nursing students at a Swedish university college completed the NPC-SF and the AssCE (response rate 77%). MethodsIn their final weeks of the nursing programme, students were invited to respond to two questionnaires: the NPC Scale - Short Form (35 items) and the AssCE tool (21 items). ResultThere are significant correlations between the nursing students' responses to the NPC-SF competence areas and the AssCE areas (r = 0.19–0.57). Students score in the NPC-SF were highest in Value-based Nursing Care and lowest in Development, Leadership and Organization of Nursing Care, and in the AssCE areas student scores were highest in Examination and treatment and Professional Approach and lowest in Management and Cooperation. ConclusionThe NPC-SF and AssCE are valid and reliable instruments, showing a high level of correlation. Results imply that dual use could strengthen student-centred theoretical and clinical learning as well as professional competence development. Additional research is needed to assess student's competence development during the nursing program.

Validating the Nurse Professional Competence Scale with Australian baccalaureate nursing students

Background Professional competence is necessary to enhance patients’ quality of care and safety, however not much is known about nursing students’ perceptions of their professional competence at the point of graduation, particularly in the Australian context. Aim To validate the Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale in the Australian context and explore graduating nursing students’ perceptions of their own competence and their suggestions to improve their learning experience. Method A cross-sectional survey incorporating the NPC Scale was conducted with nursing students at the point of graduation at one large Australian University. Results Fifty-six graduating nursing students completed the NPC Scale. Scale reliability measured via Cronbach’s alpha was 0.96. Almost 80% of students felt confident with their nursing skills and felt that the nursing program had prepared them for a graduate position as a registered nurse. Students reported their highest competence was in Value-based Nursing Care (m = 89.4) and Documentation & Administration of Nursing Care (m = 86.7), and the lowest were Development, Leadership & Organisation of Nursing Care (m = 80.9) and Care Pedagogy (m = 83.0). Students’ most common suggestion to improve the learning experience was to provide additional clinical workplace experience. Discussion The NPC Scale demonstrated excellent reliability in the Australian context. The areas that scored highest and lowest on the NPC were congruent with findings using this instrument in other countries. Conclusion Further validation of the NPC Scale should include a larger sample that includes both graduating nursing students from multiple universities as well as registered nurses and incorporates confirmatory factor analysis.

Translation and cultural adaptation of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale: The NPC Scale – German AUT language version

Assessing nursing-related competences becomes increasingly relevant. Therefore, psychometrically tested and contentual appropriate instruments are needed. The Nurse Professional Competence (NPC) Scale seems convenient to assess nurses' competences in German-speaking countries. This article describes the translation and cultural adaption of the NPC Scale English-language version for the German-speaking linguistic area of Austria (AUT), following the respective principles defined by the International Society for Pharmaoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR). The aim was to provide a German-language version of the NPC Scale usable for the Austrian specific linguistic and cultural area. Due to polydimensionality of the scale and the extensive number of items being stepwise revised by researchers, several innovative methodological approaches were required to ensure transparent and comprehensible decision-making, data-revision and consensus-gainig throughout the overall process. Useful methods are presented to cope with challenges accompanying the coverage of decentralized data-revision and consensus-finding within the translation and cultural adaption of a polydimensional scale with a high number of items. The Nurse Professional Competence Scale, 88 items – German Austrian language version is conceptually, semantically and idiomatically equivalent compared to the NPC Scale original version and is recommendable for the usage in the target country's nursing context from a linguistic point of view.