A validation study of the Korean version of the nurses’ patient education questionnaire

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the internal consistency reliability and construct validity of the Korean version of the Nurses’ Patient Education Questionnaire. An accurate assessment of nurses’ perceived patient education competency is required, and these needs assessment results can provide the evidence for designing a continuing education to empower and equip nurses with optimal competency for patient education. A cross-sectional study was used to which a convenience sample of 262 hemodialysis unit nurses in the Republic of Korea. In the exploratory factor analysis, the questionnaire consisted of 26 items belonging to seven factors: (1) nurse belief and knowledge; (2) documentation of patient education activities; (3) collegial teamwork; (4) educational environment; (5) interdisciplinary cooperation; (6) education foundation; and (7) health care organization, all of which accounted for 70.2% of the variance. The internal consistency reliability was 0.91 for the overall scale and each factor at 0.70 to 0.77. The questionnaire provides a valid and reliable instrument to assess nurses’ patient education competency.