Psychometric evaluation of the Vietnamese version of nurses’ ethical behaviors for protecting patient rights scale (V-NEBPPRS): a methodological study

Abstract

Background Recognizing patients’ rights as fundamental human rights, the global healthcare community, including the World Health Organization and various nursing organizations, has emphasized the critical role of nurses in upholding these rights through ethical practice and patient-centered care. However, in the complex landscape of healthcare, nurses in Vietnam face various ethical issues and challenges that may impede their ability to protect patient rights effectively, necessitating tools for better ethical decision-making and practice. Purpose This study aims to translate the Nurses’ Ethical Behaviours for Protecting Patient Rights Scale (NEBPPR) into Vietnamese and evaluate the validity and reliability of the V-NEBPPRS. Methods The original scale underwent a cross-cultural translation process to be adapted into Vietnamese. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The convergent validity, discriminant validity, and reliability of the V-NEBPPRS were evaluated. Results After removing four items with factor loading below 0.5, the V-NEBPPRS comprises 24 items divided into five factors. CFA demonstrated a good model fit (χ2/df = 2.86; GFI = 0.87; IFI = 0.85; CFI = 0.84; RMSEA = 0.07). Convergent and discriminant validity were confirmed with extracted mean variance ranging from 0.54 to 0.67, 0.54 to 0.67, and composite reliability from 0.73 to 0.81. Cronbach’s α coefficient was 0.85 for the total scale and ranged from 0.70 to 0.79 for five subscales. Conclusion The V-NEBPPRS is a reliable tool, providing nursing leaders and researchers with the means to utilize the V-NEBPPRS for assessing and promoting nurses’ awareness and behaviour in safeguarding patients’ rights, thereby contributing to improved overall health outcomes.