title: Validity evidence and reliability of a simulated patient feedback instrument.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the training of healthcare professionals, one of the advantages of communication training with simulated patients (SPs) is the SP's ability to provide direct feedback to students after a simulated clinical encounter. The quality of SP feedback must be monitored, especially because it is well known that feedback can have a profound effect on student performance. Due to the current lack of valid and reliable instruments to assess the quality of SP feedback, our study examined the validity and reliability of one potential instrument, the 'modified Quality of Simulated Patient Feedback Form' (mQSF).
  
  
  METHODS
  Content validity of the mQSF was assessed by inviting experts in the area of simulated clinical encounters to rate the importance of the mQSF items. Moreover, generalizability theory was used to examine the reliability of the mQSF. Our data came from videotapes of clinical encounters between six simulated patients and six students and the ensuing feedback from the SPs to the students. Ten faculty members judged the SP feedback according to the items on the mQSF. Three weeks later, this procedure was repeated with the same faculty members and recordings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All but two items of the mQSF received importance ratings of > 2.5 on a four-point rating scale. A generalizability coefficient of 0.77 was established with two judges observing one encounter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings for content validity and reliability with two judges suggest that the mQSF is a valid and reliable instrument to assess the quality of feedback provided by simulated patients.
authors.affiliation: Skillslab, Berner Bildungszentrum Pflege, Reichenbachstrasse 118, 3004 Berne, Switzerland. Claudia.schlegel@bzpflege.ch
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schlegel
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Woermann
authors.forename: Jan-Joost
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rethans
authors.forename: Cees
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: van der Vleuten
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016544:Patient Simulation; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013557:Switzerland; D055815:Young Adult