Development and Initial Validation of the Perceived Professional Appreciation Scale for Nurses.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Research
• Healthcare Professional Studies
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Nurses are vital to healthcare but frequently experience a lack of professional appreciation.
• Assessing nurses' perceptions of appreciation is crucial for understanding workforce morale and retention.
• Existing tools may not adequately capture the multifaceted nature of professional appreciation in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a psychometric instrument for assessing the perception of professional appreciation among nurses.
• To create a reliable scale that measures nurses' feelings of recognition and support within their profession.

Main Methods:

• A scale development design was employed, involving three distinct phases.
• Psychometric testing was conducted on a sample of 338 nurses to establish validity and reliability.
• The study utilized established psychometric principles for instrument development and validation.

Main Results:

• A 16-item scale was successfully developed and validated.
• The scale demonstrated strong psychometric properties, confirming its reliability and validity.
• The instrument comprises two subdimensions: 'working conditions and institutional support' and 'recognition and professional image'.

Conclusions:

• The developed scale is a valid and reliable tool for evaluating nurses' perceptions of professional appreciation.
• This instrument can be utilized by healthcare institutions to assess and improve factors influencing nurse satisfaction and recognition.
• The findings underscore the importance of addressing nurses' appreciation to enhance their professional experience.