[The care dependency scale, an assessment instrument].

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Assessment
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Patient care dependency requires reliable assessment tools.
• Existing instruments may lack validation in specific linguistic contexts.
• The Care Dependency Scale is a tool for measuring patient care needs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate and validate the Care Dependency Scale into German.
• To assess the psychometric properties of the German version.
• To evaluate its suitability for the German nursing care context.

Main Methods:

• Translation of the Care Dependency Scale into German.
• Testing inter-rater reliability.
• Assessing criterion and construct validity in a hospital setting.
• Evaluation across geriatric, surgical, and pediatric wards.

Main Results:

• The German translation demonstrated satisfying results.
• High inter-rater reliability was observed.
• Criterion and construct validity were confirmed.
• The scale is suitable for the German nursing care situation.

Conclusions:

• The German version of the Care Dependency Scale is a reliable and valid instrument.
• It is recommended for use in German-speaking care settings.
• Further psychometric testing in diverse populations is suggested.