Measuring staff nurse decisional involvement: the Decisional Involvement Scale

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Increasing emphasis on staff nurse participation in practice and patient care decisions.
• Legislation and key organizations advocate for improved work environments through nurse involvement.
• Need for validated instruments to measure nurse decisional involvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss the Decisional Involvement Scale (DIS) as a versatile measurement tool.
• To explore the DIS's utility as a diagnostic, developmental, and evaluative instrument.
• To summarize evidence supporting the validity and reliability of the DIS.

Main Methods:

• Literature review and synthesis of existing research on the Decisional Involvement Scale (DIS).
• Discussion of the scale's psychometric properties and applications.
• Presentation of supporting data for DIS validity and reliability.

Main Results:

• The Decisional Involvement Scale (DIS) is presented as a multipurpose instrument.
• Evidence is summarized to support the DIS as a valid and reliable measure.
• The DIS can be utilized for diagnosing issues, guiding organizational development, and evaluating interventions.

Conclusions:

• Staff nurse decisional involvement is a key factor in enhancing work environments.
• The Decisional Involvement Scale (DIS) is a robust tool for assessing and promoting this involvement.
• Implementing the DIS can support strategic improvements in nursing practice and patient care.