Factors affecting Korean neonatal nurses' pain care: Psychometric evaluation of three instruments

Abstract

Aim The purpose of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Korean-language versions of Pain Knowledge and Use (PKU-K), Collaboration and Satisfaction About Care Decisions (CSACD-K), and Environmental Complexity Scale (ECS-K). Methods A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 159 Korean nurses in seven neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The data were collected by surveying the nurses with the PKU-K, CSACD-K, and ECS-K. Internal consistency reliability was assessed and Horn's parallel analysis, a confirmatory factor analysis, and a convergent construct validity test were conducted in order to evaluate the psychometric properties of the instruments. Results The PKU-K, CSACD-K, and ECS-K exhibited strong internal consistency reliability. Horn's parallel analysis showed four factor structures for the PKU-K, one for the CSACD-K, and three for the ECS-K. The confirmatory factor analysis showed a good model fit for the PKU-K and CSACD-K, but the ECS-K model showed a poor fit. Most factor loadings were statistically significant. The CSACD-K's convergent validity was supported by significant correlations for collegial nurse-physician relations with a validated instrument. Conclusion The findings support the reliability and validity of the PKU-K, CSACD-K, and ECS-K for measuring nurses' knowledge about neonatal pain care, nurse-physician collaboration, and the work environment in NICUs. However, the ECS-K needs further refinement before it is applied to Korean NICU nurses.