Army nurse readiness instrument: Psychometric evaluation and field administration

• Published in: Military medicine Vol. 166; no. 11; pp. 931 - 939
• Main Authors: REINECK, Carol, FINSTUEN, Kenn, CONNELLY, Lynne M, MURDOCK, Peter
• Format: Conference Proceeding Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bethesda, MD Association of Military Surgeons 01-11-2001; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Armed forces; Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; Female; Focus groups; Health participants; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Military Nursing; Nurses; Nurses - psychology; Nursing; Psychology, Military; Psychometrics; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Quantitative psychology; Questionnaires; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; Validity; United States; United States > US; Human; Evaluation; Army; Questionnaire; Attitude; Psychometrics; Behavior; Public health; Nurse; Military
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.1093/milmed/166.11.931

The purpose of this study was to construct and evaluate the psychometric properties of an instrument to estimate the level of individual readiness among U.S. Army nurses. This study constitutes phase II of congressionally sponsored research to establish the degree to which Army nurses are prepared for the expectations of deployment. An expert panel established the validity of the initial readiness questionnaire. Changes were then incorporated into the first Readiness Estimate and Deployability Index (READI) questionnaire. Internal consistency and test-retest techniques assessed multiple reliabilities from pilot administrations. The READI was refined based on the results. Analysis of field administrations of the revised READI to three separate groups of nurses replicated earlier reliability results. Principle component analyses appear to support the hypothesized dimensional structure underlying questionnaire attitude items. The READI produced psychometrically stable ratings and results with great utility for the Army and potential adaptation for other military services.