title: Reliability and validity of a tool to assess oncology nurses' experiences with prognosis-related communication.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish the reliability and validity of a previously developed survey measuring nurses' experiences with prognosis-related communication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Psychometric testing of survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mailed survey of Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) members.
  
  
  METHODS
  392 ONS members.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reliability was analyzed using Cronbach's alpha. Total scale and subscale characteristics were evaluated through inter-item correlation matrices, average inter-item correlations, corrected item-to-total correlations, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients if the items were removed. Construct validity was assessed using exploratory factor analysis and contrasted group comparisons.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measures of attitudes toward prognosis-related communication, demographic variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A three-factor structure emerged with acceptable reliability and validity. Contrasted group comparisons revealed differences in prognosis-related communication by nurses' years of experience with patients with cancer, level of education, and extent of education about prognosis-related communication.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The final three-factor instrument, Prognosis-Related Communication in Oncology Nursing, was found to have acceptable reliability and validity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The final instrument can serve as a tool to measure nurses' experiences with prognosis-related communication. Such measurements may guide interventions that aim to improve the process of prognostic disclosure and elucidate the role of the nurse in the process.
authors.affiliation: Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI.
authors.forename: Amy R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, Indiana University.
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Helft
mesh_terms: D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009859:Oncology Nursing; D011379:Prognosis; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure
keywords: communication; disclosure; nurses' experiences; prognosis