Validation of Physical Examination Perceived Self-Efficacy Instrument for Undergraduate Nursing Students

Background: Numerous studies have revealed that nursing students perceive lack of confidence as one of the key barriers to performing physical examination; however, it is not empirically measured. This study aimed to test the psychometric properties of the Physical Examination Perceived Self-Efficacy Instrument. Method: The study included three phases: in Phase 1,51 items were constructed; in Phase 2, 7 field experts rated items for relevancy; and in Phase 3, the instrument was piloted to a convenience sample of 238 students. Results:The analysis yielded six factors with a factor loading >0.40. The corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.6 to 0.87. Cronbach's alpha ranged from .84 to .98.The interscale correlation of the instrument was statistically significant (p <.001). Conclusion: We found that the instrument is a psychometrically robust measure of self-efficacy of performing physical examination. The instrument could provide a better understanding of the association between perceived self-efficacy and students' academic performance.