Validity and reliability of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool

• Published in: Journal for specialists in pediatric nursing Vol. 21; no. 2; pp. 74 - 83
• Main Authors: Aykanat Girgin, Burcu, Cimete, Güler
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-04-2016
• Subjects: Discharge; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Male; Neonatal care; Neonatal discharge assessment; Neonatal Screening - standards; Newborn babies; Nursing; Patient Discharge - standards; Pediatric Nursing - standards; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Premature babies; preterm infant; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Risk Assessment - standards; Surveys and Questionnaires; Validation studies; Validity; validity and reliability; preterm infant; Neonatal discharge assessment; tool; validity and reliability
• ISSN: 1539-0136; 1744-6155
• DOI: 10.1111/jspn.12142

Purpose
To investigate the reliability and validity of the Neonatal Discharge Assessment Tool (N‐DAT) designed to assess risk factors related to infants’ and parents’ readiness for discharge to home.
Design and Methods
The sample was composed of 238 high‐risk preterm infants, born at gestational age of 24 to 37 weeks, and their parents. High scores on the N‐DAT indicated higher risk for discharge of preterm infants and their parents. Psychometric analyses of the N‐DAT included content validity, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity.
Results
Content validity of the N‐DAT items was supported by experts (content validity index = .98). Internal consistency reliability was supported by a Cronbach's alpha for the total instrument of .94. N‐DAT total and subscale score correlations ranged from .42 to .89. Known‐groups analysis indicated that infants born at <31 weeks’ gestation and infants who were rehospitalized during 8 weeks after discharge had significantly higher N‐DAT total and subscale scores than infants born at ≥31 weeks or not rehospitalized. Also, mothers who reported experiencing problems with infant care at home had significantly higher N‐DAT Competencies subscale scores than mothers who did not report problems.
Practice Implications
The N‐DAT is a reliable and valid instrument to evaluate the risks related to discharge of preterm infants so that nurses can provide parents with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources they need prior to discharge.