Development of a workload determination scale for nurses working in a clinic

Background and Aim: The aim of this study is to develop the "Workload Assessment Scale for Nurses Working in Clinical Settings." Material and Methods: This cross-sectional and methodological study was conducted between 01.11.2023 and 01.05.2025 in the Internal Medicine Ward 1 and Ward 2 of Kocaeli Şehir Hospital. A pool of items was created for the scale based on observed nursing tasks. The tasks were evaluated and scored using the numerical point method, one of the job evaluation methods. Each task was assessed based on five factors: time, skill, effort, responsibility, and experience. The draft scale, consisting of 44 items, was reviewed by experts and then a pilot study was carried out. The sample was determined based on the number of observations, and a total of 310 observations and 30 parallel observations were conducted.The data were analyzed using SPSS 22 and LISREL 5.6 software programs. To evaluate the validity and reliability of the scale, explanatory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), goodness-of-fit tests, and Cronbach's Alpha reliability test were performed. A t-test was applied for the statistical analysis of the parallel observation data. The level of significance was set at 0.05. Results: The Content Validity Index (CVI) of the "Workload assessment scale for nurses working in clinical settings" was determined as 0.96. According to the results of the exploratory factor analysis, 26 items were removed from the scale, leaving 18 items. The KMO value was found to be 0.771. According to Bartlett's test of sphericity, a statistically significant relationship was found between the variables and the data. The scree plot showed that the scale had a unidimensional structure. The goodness-of-fit indices were as follows: ꭓ²/df = 1.68, GFI = 0.91, CFI = 1, RFI = 0.86, RMSEA = 0.079, NFI = 0.88, and S-RMR = 0.093. The Cronbach's Alpha coefficient was calculated as 0.762. The parallel observation study conducted for the 18-item scale showed a very high level of agreement and consistency. Conclusion: As a result of the analyses, the "Workload Assessment Scale for Nurses Working in Clinical Settings" was found to be a valid and reliable measurement tool consisting of 18 items. It was concluded that as the total score increases, the level of nursing workload also increases.