Development of a Scale Study: Validity and Reliability of a Scale Compliance with Isolation Precautions

Aim: The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable tool to evaluate compliance with isolation precautions.

Method: This methodological study sample consisted of 430 nurses and physicians working in the internal medicine, general surgery, and pediatrics departments of a university hospital. Relevant literature was reviewed to construct a pool of items; expert’s opinions were sought; validity of content and structure, and reliability of included items was analyzed.

Results: A 41-item draft was revised based on expert opinion and pretest results. Total correlation values of the 35-item revised scale ranged between 0.60 and 0.34. Correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was 0.84, with a strong linear relationship between measurements. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) value of 0.87 indicated adequate sampling and Barlett test showed correlation between the items (p<0.05). Structural validity was assessed by explanatory factor analysis and four factors (route of infection, practitioner-patient safety, environmental safety, hand-hygiene/glove use) were obtained. After the analyses item number was reduced to 18, 5-point Likert Scale format was used and Cronbach alpha value of the compliance scale was determined as 0.85.

Conclusion: The developed scale was a valid and reliable assessment tool evaluating compliance with isolation precautions.