[Development and Validation of a Dignity in Care Scale of Terminally Ill Patients for Nurses]

This study aimed to develop an instrument to showcase Dignity in Care of Terminally Ill Patients for Nurses and to examine its validity and reliability.

A total of 58 preliminary items on dignity in care of terminally ill patients for nurses were selected using content validity analysis and expert opinions on 97 candidate items derived through a literature review and qualitative focus group interviews. Questionnaires were administered to 502 nurses caring for terminally ill cancer patients at hospice and palliative care institutions. The data were analyzed using item analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant validity, and Pearson correlation for criterion validity, reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha.

The final instrument consisted of 25 items, with four factors identified through confirmatory factor analysis. Four factors-ethical values and moral attitudes, interaction-based communication, maintaining comfort, professional insight and competence-accounted for 61.8% of the total variance. Cronbach's α for total items was .96, and test-retest reliability of intraclass correlation coefficient was .90.

Since its validity and reliability have been verified through various methods, the Dignity in Care Scale of Terminally Ill Patients for Nurses can be used for develop nursing interventions and improve dignity in care of terminally ill patients.