Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ): refinement and validation of the Italian version

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Occupational Health Psychology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Assessing work impairment in nurses and nursing students is vital for early risk identification.
• A new tool, the Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ), exists but lacks an Italian version.
• The development and validation of an Italian NWFQ are crucial for the target population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate an Italian version of the Nurses Work Functioning Questionnaire (NWFQ).
• To ensure the psychometric properties of the Italian NWFQ are suitable for assessing work functioning impairment.

Main Methods:

• Evaluated factor structure, internal consistency, and construct validity of the Italian NWFQ.
• Utilized data from 645 nursing students.
• Assessed convergent and discriminant validity concerning organizational justice and job strain.

Main Results:

• A single-factor, 34-item model demonstrated a more parsimonious fit than the original seven-factor structure.
• The Italian NWFQ exhibited excellent internal consistency and construct validity.
• Higher NWFQ scores correlated significantly with lower perceived organizational justice, decision latitude, and social support.

Conclusions:

• The Italian version of the NWFQ possesses adequate psychometric properties.
• The validated Italian NWFQ is suitable for assessing work functioning impairment in nursing students.
• This tool aids in the early detection of nursing students at risk of work impairment.