Résumé
Introduction
L’instrument Nurse Competence Scale (NCS) est le questionnaire autoadministré en langue anglaise le plus utilisé pour évaluer les compétences infirmières et leur niveau d’expertise. Il permet d’évaluer la perception des infirmières de leur niveau de compétence en fonction de sept domaines et d’identifier la fréquence d’application dans ces domaines.
Objectifs
Cette étude transculturelle consistait à traduire, adapter et valider en contexte suisse, la version française de l’instrument NCS de 73 items auprès d’infirmières de la petite enfance et d’infirmières en milieu scolaire et de déterminer les associations entre les facteurs sociodémographiques, le niveau de compétence perçu et la fréquence d’application des différents domaines de compétences.
Méthode
Suite à une traduction inversée parallèle et à une adaptation culturelle selon la méthodologie International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research (ISPOR), l’instrument de compétences infirmières NCS-FR a été testé auprès d’un échantillon de 168 infirmières. Une évaluation de la cohérence interne a été vérifiée à l’aide du coefficient alpha de Cronbach. Les associations entre le niveau de compétence et les données sociodémographiques ainsi qu’entre le niveau de compétence et la fréquence d’application ont été calculées.
Résultats
Le NCS-FR a été rempli par 138 infirmières. La cohérence interne s’est montrée élevée avec un alpha de Cronbach à 0,97. L’âge des infirmières, l’expérience hospitalière, le taux d’activité au poste actuel ainsi que la formation post-grade sont positivement associés à plusieurs domaines de compétences du NCS-FR.
Discussion et conclusion
L’instrument NCS en version française permet d’évaluer le niveau de compétence perçu des infirmières dans un contexte de prévention auprès de la petite enfance et en milieu scolaire. Cependant, d’autres études de validation avec un échantillon plus large méritent d’être conduites afin d’effectuer une analyse factorielle pour vérifier la structure interne de l’instrument.
Introduction The Nurse Competence Scale (NCS) is the most widely used self-administered English-language questionnaire to assess nursing competencies and level of expertise. It assesses nurses’ perceptions of their level of competency in seven domains and identifies the frequency of application in these domains. Objectives This cross-cultural study consisted of translating, adapting and validating the French version of the 73-item NCS instrument in a Swiss context with early childhood nurses and school nurses and to determine the associations between socio-demographic factors, perceived level of competence and frequency of application of the different domains of competence. Method Following translation and cultural adaptation according to the ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research) methodology, the NCS-FR nursing competency instrument was tested with a sample of 168 nurses. Internal consistency was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Associations between competency level and socio-demographic data, and between competency level and frequency of application were calculated. Results The NCS-FR was completed by 138 nurses. Internal consistency was high with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.97. Nurses’ age, hospital experience, activity rate in current position, and post-graduate education were positively associated with several domains on the NCS-FR. Discussion and Conclusion The French version of the NCS instrument can be used to assess nurses’ competencies in a prevention context of early childhood and school health settings. However, other validation studies with a larger sample size are necessary to perform a factor analysis in order to verify the internal structure of the instrument.
Introduction The Nurse Competence Scale (NCS) is the most widely used self-administered English-language questionnaire to assess nursing competencies and level of expertise. It assesses nurses’ perceptions of their level of competency in seven domains and identifies the frequency of application in these domains. Objectives This cross-cultural study consisted of translating, adapting and validating the French version of the 73-item NCS instrument in a Swiss context with early childhood nurses and school nurses and to determine the associations between socio-demographic factors, perceived level of competence and frequency of application of the different domains of competence. Method Following translation and cultural adaptation according to the ISPOR (International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcome Research) methodology, the NCS-FR nursing competency instrument was tested with a sample of 168 nurses. Internal consistency was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Associations between competency level and socio-demographic data, and between competency level and frequency of application were calculated. Results The NCS-FR was completed by 138 nurses. Internal consistency was high with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.97. Nurses’ age, hospital experience, activity rate in current position, and post-graduate education were positively associated with several domains on the NCS-FR. Discussion and Conclusion The French version of the NCS instrument can be used to assess nurses’ competencies in a prevention context of early childhood and school health settings. However, other validation studies with a larger sample size are necessary to perform a factor analysis in order to verify the internal structure of the instrument.