Measuring situation awareness in health care providers: a systematic review of measurement properties using COSMIN methodology

BACKGROUND: Situation awareness (SA) is a key factor in accountability and ensuring patient safety in health care. SA is an essential element to research on human factors in healthcare. It is essential to identify valid instruments for measuring this concept and assessing how it is affected by interventions and educational methods. METHODS: This systematic review aimed to assess the measurement properties of situation awareness instruments in health care providers’ (HCP(S)) using the COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) methodology. Four databases (Medline (through PubMed), Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science) were systematically searched. A manual search was also conducted on Google Scholar and the reference list of the included primary studies to supplement the electronic search. Studies aiming to determine the measurement properties of SA instruments or non-technical skills in HCP(S) were included. The overall results for each measurement property were reported as sufficient, insufficient, inconsistent, or indeterminate, and the quality of evidence was reported as high, moderate, low, or very low. RESULTS: A total of 25 studies and 15 instruments were included in the study. More than one measurement property was reported in some of the studies, and none of the studies presented all measurement properties. The most common measurement properties were content validity (12/25) and internal consistency (12/25). Cross‐cultural validity and responsiveness were not investigated in any study. Evidence quality for the measurement properties was not high in any of the 15 instruments. CONCLUSIONS: None of the instruments can be recommended as the most suitable instrument, and all instruments were classified as promising instruments in need of further psychometric assessment. This systematic review proves the dire need for the development and psychometric evaluation of instruments to measure SA in HCPs in clinical settings. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42020147349. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13643-023-02220-6.