Nurse Caring Patient Scale (NCPS): Cross-Cultural Validation and Psychometric Testing of the Portuguese Version in Puerperal Context.

AIM

This study aimed to adapt and validate the Nurse Caring Patient Scale (NCPS) in a puerperal context to the European Portuguese.

METHOD

This research was a methodological study. The participant sample comprised 100 puerperal women, with an average age of 31.3 years (SD = 5.65), who attended a public hospital in southern Portugal. The instrument, originally consisting of 22 items, underwent translation, back translation, and semantic and colloquial conciliation. Ethical aspects have been respected.

RESULTS

Factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed a set of 17 items with factor weights greater than .400. Three factors emerged, which explain 65.537% of the variance, namely "Being-at-the-Moment" (8 items), "Responsibility-for-the-Other" (5 items) and "Care-Diligent" (4 items). Reliability through Cronbach's alpha coefficient in the total scale was .881, and in the subscales, ranged from .713 to .938. Precision was analyzed using the split-half method, reaching an alpha with Spearman-Brown correction of .900. The convergent validity between the instrument versus the discrete variable Care-Offered showed, in the total scale, a Spearman rho of .851 and in the subscales between .528 and .616. In the discriminating validity, the Mann-Whitney test revealed that Portuguese women, vis-à-vis foreign women significantly value the dimensions "Being-at-the Moment" and "Responsibility-for-the-Other" (p < .05), while in the "Care-Diligent" component, there are no significant differences (p > .05).

CONCLUSION

The European Portuguese version of the NCPS, in an obstetric context, has reliability and validity. A further study in a random sample and validation in other Lusophone countries will be appropriate.