Developing A Measure Scale Of Empathy Competencies Of Clinical Nurses

Objective:Developing a measure scale of empathy competencies of clinical nurses that scientific, objective, in line with China's cultural background and characteristics of clinical nursing, with a reliable reliability and validity for the accurate evaluation of the nursing staff .Then it were able to provide an objective basis for the accurate evaluation and training of empathy competencies of clinical nurses .Methods:Through the substantial literature review, combined with the study of empathy of scholars home and aborad, focusing on reference clinical nursing staff empathy ability evaluation index system which was developed by Yanghui ,Qiu yufang and so on, tentatively set the scale dimension and the entries. After two rounds of expert assessment , addit,delete and amend the scale entries, then develop the clinical nurses capacity of empathy rating Scale prediction Initially.There were 29 entries and three dimensions in Scale prediction.Three dimensions were named nurses'cognitive to patient psychology (entry number 16), nurses'experience to patient emotional(entry number 5) ,nurses'behavior assist to the patiens (entry number 8). Choosing 190 nurses of the first hospital of Shanxi Medical University, measure their Empathy capacity with prediction Scale.Select and analyse the results with SPSS13.0 statistics software. Filter entries by item analysis through the determination and correlation coefficient values on the results. Further screen entries and preliminary exploration of the structure of scale through Exploratory factor analysis. Finally there were 28 retained in the Official Scale . Measure 900 nurses of five level 3 hospital with the Official Scale,then Statistical Analysis the results and assess the Reliability and validity of the Official Scale.Assess the Scale Reliability though the index of Cronbach'a coefficient, split-half reliability and test-retest reliability; Assess the scale validity though the index of content validity, construct validity and school-related validity. Results:1. Scale Reliability(1) Cronbaeh'a factor: Cronbaeh'a coefficient of the overall scale was 0.856, the Cronbach'a coefficient of dimensions were 0.707-0.858, all of them above 0.7. So this scale has good internal consistency.(2) split-half reliability: The split-half reliability of overall Scale was 0.771, the split-half reliability of dimensions were 0.636-0.769.(3) test-retest reliability: The test-retest reliability of overall Scale was 0.867, the test-retest reliability of dimensions were 0.749-0.840.2.scale validity(1) content validity: On the one hand, in the process of developing scale, access to substantial literature both at home and abroad, according to the latest foreign empathy concept of multi-dimensional definition ,reference clinical nurses empathy ability evaluation index system which was set up by Yang Hui , combine emotional intelligence scale and communication skills assessment scale both at home and abroad to determine the ideal structure and entry of the Empathy ability assessment scale. Screening and amending the entries through expert assessment, interviews with nursing staff on the scale to ensure accurate expression of all entries required by the content. On the other hand,eveluate content validity by analyzing the relationship of various dimensions and its relationship to the total points scored.The result showed that the Correlation coefficients of the various dimensions were 0.504-0.681and the Correlation coefficients between the various dimensions and total points scored were 0.743-0.944.They were significant on the standard at 0.01 Tatsu. Evaluation of a two-pronged approach, the scale has good content validity.(2) Construct Validity: Exploratory factor analysis used principal component analysis to extract factors that the eigenvalue> 1,deleted entries that factor load less than 0.4 or had the same load on the same factor. Finally extracted three factors, the cumulative contribution rate of 52.744%. The theory of the structure of data analysis are basically consistent with the hypothesis,so that the scale has the better construct validity. Useing confirmatory factor analysis to verify the structure of scale in another large sample. The results showed that the Fit Index Tatsu the basic criterion and the structure of scale had the better consistency of another samples.(3)Criterion-related validity: Interpersonal response indicator (IRI-C) questionnaire which was revised by Wu jingji of Taiwan scholars for the criterion. Analying the association about the formally Scale total score (totA) and dimensions (nurses'cognitive to patient psychology totA1,nurses'experience to patient emotional totA2, nurses'behavior assist to the patiens totA3) scored with the IRI-C total score (totB ) of clinical nursing ability Empathy Scale with the total score of interpersonal indicators reflect . The result showed that the correlation coefficient is 0.321, and the correlation coefficients of the Empathy Scale and various dimensions with IRI-C are between 0.246-0.333 , reached a significant standard.3.The impact that Population and sociology factors on the empathy scores of clinical nurses: This study showed that Empathy scores of nurses are different in different age, different age carers, different sections, different positions, different qualifications groups and there are no difference in different marital status, different titles, different family background, different personnel situations groups of nurses.Conclusion:1. This study develop a assessment scale of empathy competency in clinical nurse. The scale includes three dimensions, 28 entries.2. The assessment scale has good internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability.3. The structure of the scale in line with the theory of the basic concept. The fit Index of the structure in the samples have a little bias compare with the standards, but acceptable.4. The Scale can be used for evaluation of the basic situation of empathy capacity of nursing staff, and sensitive for compare the different scores of demographic factors ,so that the scale has a better discrimination.5. Recommendations: the development of evaluation tools is a dynamic process, so the scale needs further validation and refinement in practice progress.