Transcultural adaptation of the infiltration scale into the Portuguese culture

Abstract

Objective: To translate, adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Infiltration Scale for the Portuguese culture. Methods: A methodological study of trans-cultural adaptation to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Infiltration Scale, conducted in a cohort study with 110 adults undergoing intravenous therapy. Results: In the translation and cultural adaptation, language adjustments were discussed by researchers and a panel of experts, achieving an agreement of 85.71% for clinical criteria, except for "Possible numbness". The scale identified infiltration in 48 patients (60% prevalence). Edema was the most evident sign in the insertion site and areas adjacent to the venous catheter. The internal consistency, determined by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.85. Conclusion: The scale adapted to the Portuguese culture presented linguistic equivalence to the original, proved valid and reliable, with good internal consistency for assessing infiltration. The systematic evaluation of infiltration using the scale can support decision-making and the implementation of preventive measures.