Measuring nurses' health policy participation: WSPPIR instrument development and psychometric evaluation.

AIM

To measure nurses' health policy participation by developing and psychometrically testing the Waddell Spectrum for Policy Participation Influence and Research (WSPPIR) Instrument.

DESIGN

Instrument development; based on a nursing conceptual framework.

METHODS

This four-phase study was conducted in 2018 to estimate content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency reliability of the WSPPIR instrument. Phase 1- item generation for the multi-dimensional concept of health policy participation as described in WSPPIR theory. Phase 2- a content validity index was calculated based on ratings by seven experts. Phase 3- cognitive interviews of five nurses. Phase 4- 306 Registered Nurses completed the WSPPIR instrument. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify and to estimate construct validity, Cronbach's alpha was calculated to estimate internal consistency reliability.

RESULTS

The 38-item WSPPIR Instrument consists of five subscales (Professional Nursing Organizations; Health Care Delivery Systems: Organizations that Deliver Health Care Services; Governance Levels: City/Town, State, National, Global; Valuing Health and Policy; Influence Skills) and exhibits adequate estimates of reliability and content and construct validity, as a measure nurses' health policy participation.

CONCLUSION

As efforts to enhance nurses' health policy participation continue globally, the WSPPIR instrument should be useful in measuring individual nurses' health policy participation and benchmarking health policy participation for the nursing profession at large.

IMPACT

The WSPPIR instrument will be useful to individual nurses, educators, and the profession as we work to systematically and strategically increase nurses' participation in and influence on health policy.