Validation of a questionnaire designed to measure nursing student satisfaction with practical training

OBJECTIVE: to validate an instrument designed to assess practical training and measure nursing student satisfaction with clinical practice modules. METHOD: cross-sectional study (academic year 2014-2015). Validation of the self-administered, anonymous, 17-item Nursing Student Satisfaction with Practical Training Questionnaire, developed by consensus by eight practical training experts in three nominal group sessions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to assess internal consistency and validity. Student satisfaction was measured in relation to each module and all modules as a whole. RESULTS: 174 responses. High item-test correlation (≥0.90); Cronbach’s alpha = 0.91; Káiser-Meyer-Olkin index =0.86; the results of the Bartlett sphericity test were statistically significant (p<0.001); S-stress=0.17; R2=0.81. Exploratory factor analyses identified 4 factors: simulation, teacher tutoring, care facility selected for the placement, and clinician tutoring. Total explained variance was 66.6%. Confirmatory factor analysis obtained a chi-squared value of 285.275 (p= 0.000). Student satisfaction increases proportionately with each academic year. CONCLUSION: the questionnaire was shown to have good validity and is therefore a reliable instrument for measuring level of nursing student satisfaction with practical training in both clinical and simulated environments.