Jenny Larson1, Catrin Björvell, Ewa Billing, Regina Wredling. 1. Division of Nursing Research, Karolinska Institutet Danderyd University Hospital and Department of Nursing, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. jenny.larson@omv.ki.se
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study validates and tests the reliability of an audit instrument constructed to evaluate the content of nursing discharge notes. DESIGN: Instrument validation and reliability testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factor analysis identifying structure through data summarization of the instrument, association between scores in test-retest, and interrater reliability between auditors. VALIDITY: Three factors emerged in the factor analysis: 'General information', 'Planning', and 'Assessment', accounting for 76% of the variance regarding the quantitative aspect and 79% of the variance regarding the qualitative aspect, confirming the distinctiveness. Reliability: The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient calculated per item in the test-retest ranged from 0.72 to 1.0 (p=0.01). The correlation coefficient for the total score was 0.98 (p=0.01). There were no differences in item scores between the test and retest in 93% of the comparisons (n=486). Between the two auditors, the Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient in each item ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 (p=0.01) and weighted kappa values from 0.70 to 1.00 with the exception of one item in both calculations. The correlation coefficient for the auditors' total score was 0.99 (p=0.01). The Student's paired t-test comparing the two auditors' mean values in five different parts of the instrument showed no significant differences in score. CONCLUSION: The Cat-ch-Ing EPI instrument shows a high reliability and validity as an audit instrument to evaluate the content of nursing discharge notes.
OBJECTIVES: This study validates and tests the reliability of an audit instrument constructed to evaluate the content of nursing discharge notes. DESIGN: Instrument validation and reliability testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factor analysis identifying structure through data summarization of the instrument, association between scores in test-retest, and interrater reliability between auditors. VALIDITY: Three factors emerged in the factor analysis: 'General information', 'Planning', and 'Assessment', accounting for 76% of the variance regarding the quantitative aspect and 79% of the variance regarding the qualitative aspect, confirming the distinctiveness. Reliability: The Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient calculated per item in the test-retest ranged from 0.72 to 1.0 (p=0.01). The correlation coefficient for the total score was 0.98 (p=0.01). There were no differences in item scores between the test and retest in 93% of the comparisons (n=486). Between the two auditors, the Spearman rank-order correlation coefficient in each item ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 (p=0.01) and weighted kappa values from 0.70 to 1.00 with the exception of one item in both calculations. The correlation coefficient for the auditors' total score was 0.99 (p=0.01). The Student's paired t-test comparing the two auditors' mean values in five different parts of the instrument showed no significant differences in score. CONCLUSION: The Cat-ch-Ing EPI instrument shows a high reliability and validity as an audit instrument to evaluate the content of nursing discharge notes.