title: Psychometric Evaluation of a Self-Report Evidence-Based Practice Tool Using Rasch Analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This paper reports if estimates of final year nursing students' self-rated abilities in responding to evidence-based practice (EBP) issues is a psychometrically robust measure.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  EBP as it applies to nursing continues to be heralded as a method to improve clinical patient care. Health professionals such as nurses are well positioned to respond to this demand; however, evidence suggests they are not always able to embrace this important foundation of everyday nursing practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Instrument development.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a survey set in a large teaching university in Adelaide, South Australia. The evidence-based practice survey was made available to a convenience sample of 471 final year nursing students, with a response rate of 79.6% (n = 375). Rasch analysis was used to critique and develop a scale for future learning based on the conjoint estimates of nursing students' self-efficacy estimates, when meeting the challenges of various EBP of differing complexities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Outcomes confirm that final year nursing students' EBP ability measures can be reliably estimated and a hierarchical scale of learning can be developed for use by beginning registered nurses' in their staff development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although Australian health and nursing authorities acknowledge the desirability of the nursing workforce in adopting EBP for patient management, elements of this approach remains problematic for nurses. Measures to estimate EBP skills difficulty can be reliably generated to inform EBP education and skills development.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Blackman
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing & Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Tracey
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giles
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009726:Nurses; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000379:methods*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D057566:Self Report; D013338:Students, Nursing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Rasch analysis; evidence-based practice; instrument development; nurses; self-rated ability; survey