Psychometric Properties of the Eat Sleep Console Nurse Questionnaire

Area of Science:

• Neonatal care practices
• Nursing quality improvement
• Opioid-exposed infants

Background:

• The Eat Sleep Console (ESC) approach offers a novel care method for infants experiencing neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) due to opioid exposure.
• This approach signifies a substantial shift in nursing care protocols for NAS.
• A validated tool for evaluating ESC processes and outcomes is essential for continuous improvement in NAS infant care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the psychometric properties of the Eat Sleep Console Nurse Questionnaire (ESCNQ).
• To assess the reliability and internal consistency of the ESCNQ for evaluating ESC practices.

Main Methods:

• Secondary analysis of data from a previous project.
• The ESCNQ was administered to mother-baby postpartum and neonatal intensive care nurses (n=52).
• Reliability testing, including Cronbach's alpha and correlation analyses, was performed on the ESCNQ data.

Main Results:

• The Processes scale of the ESCNQ exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.764).
• Perception items demonstrated a positive, strong, and significant association (r = 0.671, P < 0.001).
• The overall ESCNQ and other subscales did not achieve acceptable internal consistency.

Conclusions:

• The ESCNQ may serve as a valuable tool for quality improvement and research settings after further testing and refinement.
• A reliable instrument to evaluate ESC processes and outcomes is crucial for enhancing the quality of care for infants with NAS.