Content validity of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD.

UNLABELLED

PurposeNeuroprotective developmental care is paramount for neonates with CHD. Although several developmental care scales exist, either they have not been psychometrically tested or were not designed for the needs of neonates with CHD. The purpose of this study is to describe item development and content validity testing of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD, which measures five domains of the developmental care provided by bedside nurses to neonates in the cardiac ICU: sleep, pain and stress management, activities of daily living, family-centred care, and environment.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, items were developed based on clinical expertise and the core measures for developmental care. In this study, seven experts provided content validity ratings of items for total scale and subscale fit and relevance. A content validity index was used to determine item retention. Item modifications and additions were based on expert feedback.

RESULTS

Expert ratings provided evidence of content validity on 24 of 53 items within the five domains of developmental care. A total of 24 items were deleted, and five items with low content validity ratings were retained, because of conceptual importance, and revised. An additional 11 items were added based on expert qualitative feedback.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provided evidence of content validity of the developmental care scale for neonates with CHD by researchers and bedside nurses caring for these neonates. Further psychometric testing is warranted to provide evidence of internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and to identify variables that influence quality of the developmental care.