Jeroen Dikken

Comparisons of Knowledge of Dutch Nursing Students and Hospital Nurses on Aging

BACKGROUND Although there is a growing population of older adults admitted to hospitals, the literature demonstrates knowledge deficits of nurses regarding older patients. This study investigated knowledge levels of both nursing students and RNs about older hospitalized patients in relation to their educational level and work experience. METHOD First- and final-year vocational and bachelor nursing students, and associate degree and bachelor degree nurses working in the hospital setting with 0 to 5 years, 6 to 15 years, and more than 15 years of experience, have completed the Knowledge about Older Patients-Quiz (KOP-Q). The KOP-Q has a clearly described theoretical base finding its origin in knowledge regarding nursing care for older patients and shows good content and construct validity. RESULTS A substantial proportion of participants in all groups demonstrated insufficient knowledge about older patients. A difference in knowledge exists among nurses with different educational qualifications, and a link between years of experience and higher knowledge levels of nurses is found. CONCLUSION Throughout the nursing career, basic care topics in relation to care for older patients should play a key role in basic nursing education programs, as well as for continuing education programs provided in hospitals for nurses. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(2):84-90.

Structural Validity and Reliability of the Dutch Older Patient in Acute Care Survey (OPACS), Measuring Nurses Attitude towards Older Patients

Background: In clinical practice, nurses’ attitudes regarding older patients are important in relation to quality of care. The Older People in Acute Care Survey (OPACS) is an instrument measuring hospital nurses attitudes regarding older patients and validated in Australia and the USA. The OPACS is translated in Dutch language and content validity of this translation is previously assessed, presenting questionable results. Measurement instruments, however, cannot be “validated” based on content validity evidence alone. Judgmental evidence and statistical analysis should be combined to fully evaluate content domain definition and representation and guide further development. Objective: Assess structural validity and reliability to fully evaluate the OPACS for use in the Netherlands, complementing previous conducted content validity results. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Three general hospitals in the Netherlands. Participants: 201 registered nurses. Methods: Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the structural validity. Reliability was assessed with Cronbach’s alpha. Results: OPACS Section A (measuring practice experiences) demonstrated to have acceptable structural validity- and good reliability outcomes after exclusion of two items (model fit: x² [df=537]=8475.40, p |z|)= 0.551 -0 .788). Conclusion: Even though structural validity for section A was acceptable, content validity scores of a majority of items in this subscale were low, resulting in questionable use of this subscale for the Dutch context. The findings of this study, in relation to the earlier findings regarding content validity, justify the conclusion that use of the Dutch OPACS in clinical practice and research is not recommended. Given these findings, future research should pursue the development or (cross-cultural) validation of other instruments measuring hospital nurses attitudes towards older patients for the Dutch cultural context. Furthermore, this study demonstrated the influence of cultural differences on measurement instruments and the need for rigorous research before using a measurement instrument in a new culture or context.

Measurement of nurses' attitudes and knowledge regarding acute care older patients: Psychometrics of the OPACS-US combined with the KOP-Q

ABSTRACT In clinical practice, identifying positive and negative attitudes toward older patients is very important to improve quality of care provided to them. The Older People in Acute Care Survey – United States (OPACS‐US) is an instrument measuring hospital nurses attitudes regarding older patients. However, psychometrics have never been assessed. Furthermore, knowledge being related to attitude and behavior should also be measured complementing the OPACS‐US. The purpose of this study was to assess structural validity and reliability of the OPACS‐US and assess whether the OPACS‐US can be complemented with the Knowledge about Older Patients‐Quiz (KOP‐Q). A multicenter cross sectional design was conducted. Registered nurses (n = 130, mean age 39,9 years; working experience 14,6 years) working in four general hospitals were included in the study. Nurses completed the OPACS‐US section A: practice experiences, B: general opinion and the KOP‐Q online. Findings demonstrated that the OPACS‐US is a valid and reliable survey instrument that measures practice experiences and general opinion. Furthermore, the OPACS‐US can be combined with the KOP‐Q adding a knowledge construct, and is ready for use within education and/or quality improvement programs in the USA.

Verpleegkundige, blijf leren!

SamenvattingVergrijzing, nieuw opnamebeleid: verpleegkundigen in de ziekenhuizen zien steeds vaker oudere patiënten met complexe zorgproblematiek. Het leren over de zorg aan deze patiënten houdt niet op bij de schoolbanken: verpleegkundigen moeten die kennis bijhouden en blijven ontwikkelen in de loop van hun carrière. Hoe is het gesteld met het kennisniveau van verpleegkundigen over de oudere patiënt? Een onderzoek onder mbo- en hbo-verpleegkundigen, van studenten en net-afgestudeerden tot verpleegkundigen met jarenlange ervaring in de ziekenhuispraktijk.