Development and Validation of an Instrument to Measure Barriers to Surgical Conscience Action in Perioperative Nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Surgical Ethics
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Surgical conscience is crucial for perioperative nurses but is understudied.
• Existing literature lacks validated instruments to measure surgical conscience.
• This study addresses the need for a reliable tool to assess surgical conscience in nursing practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and psychometrically validate the Surgical Conscience Scale for perioperative nurses.
• To identify key components and barriers related to surgical conscience.
• To provide a reliable instrument for assessing surgical conscience in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Literature review, concept analysis, content validity, and pilot testing were used to design the Surgical Conscience Scale.
• Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were employed to assess validity.
• The study involved separate participant groups for EFA and CFA.

Main Results:

• EFA identified three factors: Foundational Components, Barriers to Surgical Conscience Action, and Required Attributes, explaining 55% of the variance.
• CFA did not fully support the overall scale's goodness-of-fit.
• A reliable six-item subscale, the Barriers to Surgical Conscience Action Scale (α = .874), was validated, showing strong item loadings.

Conclusions:

• The Barriers to Surgical Conscience Action Scale is a valid and reliable instrument.
• This scale can enhance awareness of the consequences of failed surgical conscience actions.
• Implementing the Barriers to Surgical Conscience Action Scale can promote proficient surgical conscience usage among perioperative nurses.