Psychometric testing of the caring assessment tool: Administration (CAT-Adm^©)

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Administration
• Psychometrics

Background:

• The 94-item Caring Assessment Tool-Administration (CATA) survey lacks robust psychometric validation.
• Assessing nurse manager caring behaviors is crucial for quality patient care and staff satisfaction.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate the validity and reliability of the CATA survey.
• Test the hypothesized eight-factor structure of nurse manager caring behaviors.
• Reduce the CATA survey for improved efficiency and reduced participant burden.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed.
• 1143 registered nurses from US acute care hospitals participated.
• Confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses were used for psychometric testing and item reduction.

Main Results:

• The hypothesized eight-factor structure was not supported by confirmatory factor analysis.
• Exploratory factor analysis supported a one-factor solution for caring behaviors.
• Item reduction resulted in a 25-item survey with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.98, indicating excellent internal consistency.

Conclusions:

• The revised 25-item CATA survey is a valid and reliable instrument.
• This shortened survey offers a less burdensome tool for assessing nurse manager caring behaviors.
• The findings provide a valuable resource for hospital administrators, nurse managers, and researchers.