Other Titles
The Forgotten Vulnerable: Advocating for Emerging Infectious Disease Prevention in Long-Term Care [Symposium Title]
Abstract
Aim: To develop an instrument and evaluate its psychometric properties for emerging infectious disease assessing prevention competencies among health and care workers in long-term care institutions.
Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods was employed.
Methods: The scale was developed according to scale development guidelines in two phases, namely the scale development phase and scale testing phase, with the staff of long-term care institutions as the study population and their workplaces as the sampling unit.
Results: The scale comprises 27 items across three dimensions: 14 items pertaining to professional role performance, 7 items addressing workplace resources, and 6 items focusing on soft skills in communication and collaboration. Content analysis was conducted via a focus group discussion; content validity analysis was carried out via expert reviews; item analysis was performed via a pilot study; and construct validity and reliability were ensured via factor analysis and internal consistency testing, respectively. The total variance explained by the three factors of the 27-item scale was 64.785%, demonstrating acceptable validity and reliability with a Cronbach’s α value of .968.
Conclusion: The Emerging Infectious Disease Prevention Competencies Scale demonstrates excellent reliability and validity, making it suitable for clinical practice and research. In practice, this instrument could also assist managers in adjusting policies to adapt to dynamic situations and enhance the quality of care in long-term care institutions. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to refine the scale and enhance its generalizability.
Notes
References:
Kung, P. J., & Chen, C. M. (2022). Competency and related factors in preventing emerging infectious diseases among nurses in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. Healthcare, 10(5), 894.
Kung, P. J., Fang, C. J., Cheng, Y. Y., & Chen, C. M. (2024). Health and care workers in long-term care facilities and their role in preventing emerging infectious diseases: A scoping review. Journal of nursing scholarship, 56(2), 260–281.
Thompson, D. C., Barbu, M. G., Beiu, C., Popa, L. G., Mihai, M. M., Berteanu, M., & Popescu, M. N. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on long-term care facilities worldwide: An overview on international issues. BioMed research international, 2020, 8870249.
World Health Organization. (2020). COVID-19 Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) Global research and innovation forum. https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/covid-19-public-health-emergency-of-international-concern-(pheic)-global-research-and-innovation-forum
World Health Organization. (2020). Guidance on COVID-19 for the care of older people and people living in long-term care facilities, other nonacute care facilities and home care. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331913/COVID-19-emergency-guidance-ageing-eng.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
Sigma Membership
Lambda Beta at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Cross-Sectional
Research Approach
Mixed/Multi Method Research
Keywords:
Long-term Care, Public and Community Health, Policy and Advocacy, Instrument and Tool Development
Recommended Citation
Kung, Po-Jen and Chen, Ching-Min, "Developing and Validating an Emerging Infectious Disease Prevention Competencies Scale" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 298.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/298
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Developing and Validating an Emerging Infectious Disease Prevention Competencies Scale
Seattle, Washington, USA
Aim: To develop an instrument and evaluate its psychometric properties for emerging infectious disease assessing prevention competencies among health and care workers in long-term care institutions.
Design: A cross-sectional, descriptive design utilizing both qualitative and quantitative methods was employed.
Methods: The scale was developed according to scale development guidelines in two phases, namely the scale development phase and scale testing phase, with the staff of long-term care institutions as the study population and their workplaces as the sampling unit.
Results: The scale comprises 27 items across three dimensions: 14 items pertaining to professional role performance, 7 items addressing workplace resources, and 6 items focusing on soft skills in communication and collaboration. Content analysis was conducted via a focus group discussion; content validity analysis was carried out via expert reviews; item analysis was performed via a pilot study; and construct validity and reliability were ensured via factor analysis and internal consistency testing, respectively. The total variance explained by the three factors of the 27-item scale was 64.785%, demonstrating acceptable validity and reliability with a Cronbach’s α value of .968.
Conclusion: The Emerging Infectious Disease Prevention Competencies Scale demonstrates excellent reliability and validity, making it suitable for clinical practice and research. In practice, this instrument could also assist managers in adjusting policies to adapt to dynamic situations and enhance the quality of care in long-term care institutions. Nonetheless, further research is warranted to refine the scale and enhance its generalizability.
Description
Overall Symposium Summary: Emerging infectious diseases pose severe risks to long-term care institutions due to resource constraints and resident vulnerabilities. This national four-phase study addresses these risks: Phase One defines key roles in infection prevention; Phase Two develops a competency instrument for frontline workers; and Phases Three and Four explore barriers and facilitators in infection control. This research urges policy action, presenting a globally adaptable model to strengthen care institutions.
Note: The attached slide deck is a combined symposium presentation containing the slides of all featured symposium speakers. It does not contain individual title slides for each session presented within the symposium.
To locate the other presentations in this symposium, search the repository by the Symposium Title shown in the Other Title field of this item record.