Turkish adaptation of the student survey on writing nursing care plans: a validity and reliability study

The increasing complexity of healthcare requires nursing students to acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Nursing care plans are essential for developing clinical competence and bridging the gap between theory and practice. However, many student care plans remain incomplete or lack patient-centred outcomes, highlighting the need for valid tools to assess competence. Currently, no such instrument exists in Turkey.

This study aims to translate the 'Student Survey on Writing Nursing Care Plans', which was developed to evaluate nursing students' attitudes towards writing nursing care plans, into Turkish, and to examine the validity and reliability of the translated version.

This methodological study, conducted in April 2025, involved 362 undergraduate nursing students enrolled at Sivas Cumhuriyet University in Turkey. The majority of participants were female second-year students with a mean age of 20.9 years. The scale was evaluated through translation and back-translation, as well as apparent, content and construct validity and reliability analyses.

The item-total correlation coefficients ranged from 0.656 to 0.894. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the model fit was acceptable (χ²/df = 3.253; RMSEA = 0.079; CFI = 0.944; TLI = 0.939; NFI = 0.921). The factor loadings of the items ranged from 0.658 to 0.906. The scale exhibited excellent internal consistency, with Cronbach's alpha equalling 0.98.

The findings suggest that the Turkish version of the 'Student Survey on Writing Nursing Care Plans' is a valid and reliable measurement tool. It is recommended as a suitable instrument for evaluating the care plan development skills of nursing students within the nursing education process.

The Turkish version of the 'Student Survey on Writing Nursing Care Plans' is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating the skills of nursing students in writing care plans. It helps to identify areas where students are particularly struggling, such as planning and evaluation, and supports the development of targeted educational strategies.

Not applicable.