Implementation and Validation of Competency-Based Spiritual Care Education using the EPICC Self-Assessment Tool in Undergraduate Nursing Students
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Background The World Health Organization and various healthcare organizations recognize the spiritual dimension as crucial for well-being and health, particularly in person-centered care. The EPICC project developed a consensus-based model for spiritual care education, contributing tools like the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool to support competency development. Aim To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool for undergraduate nursing students in Portugal. Methods Cross-cultural adaptation followed by Beaton et al.'s method. Reliability and validity were assessed using Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett’s tests for factor analysis, with internal consistency measured using Cronbach’s α. Results Data collected between November 2023 and October 2024 showed 100% agreement and a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 1 among experts. A pretest with 39 students indicated 79.1% agreement and acceptable internal consistency (KR-20 = 0.573). Psychometric properties showed KMO of 0.845, CFI of 0.895, GFI of 0.805, RMSEA of 0.082 and Cronbach’s α of 0.92 ( n = 161 nursing students from a Portuguese higher education institution). Conclusions The European Portuguese version of the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing spiritual care competency in nursing and midwifery students. However, some limitations of this study should be addressed in future research to enhance the generalisability of the findings to broader educational contexts.
Source: Teaching and learning in nursing
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $2,700
OpenAlex ID: W4413292105