[The Spanish version of the "Nursing Stress Scale". A cross-cultural adaptation process]

The cross-cultural adaptation of "The Nursing Stress Scale" used to gauge job stressors stress in hospital nursing staff members.

The translation-back translation method of translating this scale into Spanish and then back into English has been employed, rounded out with qualitative means and methods (focus groups). The original scale was translated in Spanish independently by two bilingual nurses born in Spain who had lived in the United States. In following, the text in question was translated back into English by two U.S.-born translators living in Spain. Two focus groups were formed, one comprised of male and female nurses and other of nurses aides from different units and hospitals. Lastly, a pilot survey was made of 20 professional nurses.

The items were ranked by how difficult it was to come up with a phrase in Spanish which would be equivalent in concept to the original one. Fifteen (15) items entailed no problem, 13 entailing an average degree of difficulty and 6 a high degree. Following another translation of the problematical items and the inquiries made to one of the individuals who had written the original scale, a Spanish version was drafted in which 12 items showed two or more alternative versions, which were then assessed in the pilot survey. As a result of the groups, the conclusion was drawn that the types of job stressor perceived by nursing staff are comparable to those included on the original scale, with the exception of the "Break Down of computer" item, which is not applicable to our environment.

An adapted Spanish version of The Nursing Stress Scale has been drafted, the subsequent assessment of its validity and reliability being required.