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Evidence-based practice (EBP) competence is essential to high-quality and safe nursing care, yet rigorously validated instruments to assess EBP competencies are lacking in the Italian context.
To translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the Italian version of the Evidence-Based Practice Competency Scale for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses.
In 2024, a cross-sectional online survey of Italian nurses was conducted. The 24-item EBP Competency Scale was translated and culturally adapted following international guidelines. Content validity was assessed by a 16-member expert panel, and 405 nurses completed the scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The sample was randomly split for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal consistency, test–retest reliability, and measurement invariance by prior EBP training were examined.
Content validity indices were high (I-CVI = 0.75–1.00; S-CVI = 0.92). A one-factor model explained 72.1% of variance and showed excellent fit. Reliability was very high (α = 0.974; ICC = 0.83). Multigroup CFA supported configural and metric invariance and partial scalar invariance, with lower latent EBP competence in nurses without prior training.
The Italian EBP Competency Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing EBP competence among Italian nurses. Its use can support benchmarking, guide EBP-focused education and implementation strategies, and provide a foundation for future advanced psychometric applications.
Organizational culture and readiness are critical determinants of evidence-based practice (EBP) implementation. The Organizational Culture and Readiness Scale for System-Wide Integration of EBP (OCRSIEP), developed within the ARCC framework, is a validated tool to assess these dimensions, but no Italian version currently exists.
To translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the OCRSIEP and its short form in Italian.
A validation study was conducted, using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to derive and test the underlying model, followed by reliability testing with multiple indices and measurement invariance analyses.
Data were collected from 405 Italian nurses. Factor analyses supported a 19-item, six-factor structure explaining 59.5% of the variance, with a second-order factor indicating an overarching construct. The three-item short form showed strong model fit and explained 67% of the variance. Subscales demonstrated acceptable-to-excellent reliability, and partial scalar invariance was established across public and private facilities.
The Italian OCRSIEP scales are valid and reliable tools to assess organizational readiness for EBP implementation. They can guide leaders, educators, and researchers in monitoring, benchmarking, and advancing EBP–oriented system transformation within the Italian healthcare context.
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