Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Genomic Nursing Concept Inventory

Abstract

Translation of genome science to improve health outcomes requires nurses to develop genomic competency and literacy, and a robust measure of genomic literacy is needed to advance evidence-based nursing education. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the Genomic Nursing Concept Inventory (GNCI), which is a scale to measure understanding of the genetic/genomic concepts most critical to nursing practice. Applying a multistep process, key concepts were drawn from essential nursing genetic/genomic competencies and validated by expert opinion. Surveys and cognitive interviews of baccalaureate nursing (BSN) students informed item development. A 52-item draft inventory was administered to 238 BSN students. Item analysis informed inventory reduction, and the resulting 31-item inventory was tested with 705 BSN students. Scale difficulty was 47%, item difficulty 13% to 84%, and Cronbach’s alpha 0.77. As scale refinement proceeds, the GNCI provides a useful measure of genomic literacy to inform curriculum design and evaluate outcomes in genomic nursing education.