[Translation and validation in italian of the Moral Distress Scale for psychiatric nurses (MDS-P)].
OBJECTIVE
Moral distress (MD) is a painful feeling and/or psychological disequilibrium, which may lead to negative consequences into the wellness of a nurse's working life. Nurses who work in psychiatry are more likely to experience a different type of MD compared with nurses of other contexts. In Italy a tool to evaluate MD in nurses who work in psychiatry doesn't exist. The aim of this study is to validate the Moral Distress Scale for Psychiatric Nurses (MDS-P) in Italian language.


METHODS
For translation the forward and back-translation has been used; the effectiveness regarding content and face validity of the translated scale has been analyzed through a focus group with experts of the field. In order to check the reliability of the scale the test-retest method has been used, by means of the determination of Spearman's correlation coefficient, Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha.


RESULTS
The forward and back-translation process was successful. During the focus group analysis, 8 items were added to the 15 items of the original scale, due to experts suggestions. 32 nurses took part in the test-retest phase. Spearman's correlation coefficient resulted to be 0,91, ICC > 0,9, Cronbach's alpha calculated on test and retest, was always >0,9.


CONCLUSIONS
The Italian version of the MDS-P proves to be an effective, appropriate and reliable instrument to measure the MD phenomenon within the population of nurses who work in the psychia- tric field in Italy.
Nurses, University of Milano.
Eleonora
E
Canciani
Tutor Nursing Degree Course, University of Milano, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Sezione Ospedale Sacco.
Daniela
D
Spotti
Ph.D, Tutor Nursing Degree Course, University of Milano, ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco, Sezione Ospedale Sacco. Correspondence: loris.bonetti72@gmail.com bonetti.loris@asst-fbf-sacco.it.
Loris
L
Bonetti
D000328:Adult; D004993:Ethics, Nursing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014177:Translations; D055815:Young Adult
Ethics.; Moral Distress; Psychiatric Nursing; Questionnaires; Validation Studies