Development and Testing of a Short Knowledge Test to Evaluate Awareness of External Ventricular Drain Care Practices

Background and Purpose: External ventricular drainage (EVD) care requires nurses to be knowledgeable about recommended practices to prevent complications and enhance patient safety. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a brief instrument assessing nurses' knowledge of EVD care practices. Methods: This study was conducted with 247 nurses working in emergency, medical-surgical, and intensive care units. Item generation was based on a literature review and expert panel evaluation. Construct validity was examined using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal consistency was assessed using coefficient alpha. Results: The final instrument consisted of seven items with a unidimensional structure. The scale demonstrated acceptable construct validity, good model fit, and high internal consistency (α = .915). Conclusions: The EVD Care Knowledge Test is a valid and reliable tool for assessing nurses' knowledge of EVD care practices and may help identify educational needs in clinical settings.