title: Psychometric properties of the Australian nurse competency 2000 standards.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Australian Nursing Competency Incorporated (ANCI) 2000 standards provide a standardised framework of accepted professional standards for the registered nurse.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the ANCI 2000 national competency standards for measuring nursing competence in new graduate nurses.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and sixteen new graduated nurses from three metropolitan public hospitals were surveyed. The psychometric properties of the ANCI 2000 including internal consistency and construct validity were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean score was lowest for competency unit 6 (mean 5.96) and highest for competency unit 4 (mean 8.83). The internal reliability for the total ANCI 2000 was alpha=.93 and for the domain alpha=.81 (Domains 1 and 3), alpha=.79 (Domain 2), and alpha=.77 (Domain 4). Confirmatory factor analysis using the domains as factors confirmed the 4 factor structure although 3 factors had two items each with loadings in the .4-.5 range.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are inconsistencies in the psychometric properties of the ANCI 2000 which suggest that further investigation is warranted before it can be used as an instrument for the measurement of new graduate competencies.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag, DC, NSW 1797, Australia. s.andrew@uws.edu.au
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrew
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.forename: Leanne S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Cowin
authors.forename: Sandy C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Eagar
authors.forename: Cecily
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hengstberger-Sims
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rolley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D032781:Codes of Ethics; D003142:Communication; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000592:standards; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000592:standards; D004650:Employee Performance Appraisal / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D008008:Licensure, Nursing; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009736:Nursing Process / Q000592:standards; D009741:Nursing Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000941:ethics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000592:standards; D011361:Professional Competence / Q000592:standards*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000592:standards; D013850:Thinking