Development Study of the Medical Device Self-Efficacy Scale: A Validity and Reliability Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Medical Device Technology
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Assessing nursing students' confidence in using medical devices is crucial for patient safety.
• Existing tools may not adequately capture self-efficacy across diverse medical equipment.
• Identifying educational gaps in medical device proficiency is essential for curriculum development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Medical Device Self-Efficacy Scale (MDSS) for nursing students.
• To evaluate the scale's reliability and validity in assessing perceived competence with medical devices.
• To establish a tool for identifying specific educational needs in medical device usage.

Main Methods:

• An exploratory methodological design was employed with 127 final-year nursing students.
• The scale was administered for three medical devices: bedside monitor, infusion pump, and suction device.
• Content, construct (EFA, CFA), and criterion validity were assessed, alongside reliability (Cronbach's α, item-total correlations, test-retest).

Main Results:

• The 12-item scale demonstrated excellent content validity (index=0.84) and unidimensionality.
• Factor analyses confirmed strong construct validity with high Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin values and factor loadings.
• Reliability was high, with Cronbach's α coefficients >0.90 and significant test-retest correlations (r=0.744-0.795).

Conclusions:

• The 12-item Medical Device Self-Efficacy Scale is a valid and reliable instrument.
• The scale effectively measures nursing students' perceived competence with key medical devices.
• This tool can guide targeted educational interventions to enhance nursing students' skills.