title: Testing an Instrument for Assessing Nursing Intensity in Perioperative Settings: Construct Validity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the construct validity of an instrument to assess nursing intensity in perioperative settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey based on 24 core elements of perioperative nursing was used. A total of 652 assessments were performed on 308 patients. Principal component analysis was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A model with four principal components was suggested.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients' care needs appear to vary as they progress along the perioperative continuum. Thus, a given instrument's content differs from the intraoperative to postoperative phases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More testing is needed to achieve a valid tool for allocating nursing staff in operating departments. Reliable tools are needed to match patients' care needs with available nursing resources.
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Satu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rauta
authors.affiliation: University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Sanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salanterä
authors.affiliation: University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: Tero
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vahlberg
authors.affiliation: Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Junttila
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009736:Nursing Process; D013527:Perioperative Nursing; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Nursing intensity; patient classification system; perioperative nursing