The concept of digital adaptability of nurses and midwives: A factor analysis

To investigate the underlying constructs of the 29 digital adaptability competencies to identify the phenomenon's key or conceptual properties.

A shift towards a strong and increasing presence of eHealth in future practice requires the competencies of nurses and midwives. This ability to adapt to technological evolutions is called digital adaptability. A set of 29 items representing the competencies of digital adaptability for nurses and midwives provides the first comprehensive description of this relatively new concept.

Cross-sectional survey with a total sample size of 557 Flemish midwives and nurses.

Internal consistency and construct validity were established using Cronbach's alpha, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

EFA revealed two factors: 'me and the digital world' (17 items) and 'me, the digital world, and my patient' (12 items). CFA tested the model and showed a good model-fit. Strong internal consistency was observed.

Two factors were identified. The first, 'me & the digital world,' is task-oriented and focuses on nurses/midwives' personal use of technology. The second, 'me, the digital world, and my patient,' is patient-centered and focuses on nurses' and midwives' use of technology while interacting with their patients during care provision.