Validation of the Croatian Translation of Perceived Professional Preparedness of Senior Nursing Students’ Questionnaire

Background: Numerous studies highlight the importance ofmonitoring the preparedness of fi nal-year nursing studentsfor entry into the profession. Although various questionnairesassessing professional preparedness among students havebeen developed, most of them have not yet been translatedinto Croatian or validated for use among Croatian nursingstudents.Aim: The aim of this study was to present the Croatiantranslation of the Perceived Professional Preparednessof Nursing Students Questionnaire (PPPNS), evaluate itsconstruct validity, and determine its reliability for applicationamong Croatian nursing students in their fi nal year of study.Methods: A cross-sectional observational study wasconducted among 200 fi nal-year students of Bachelor ofNursing (BN) and Master of Nursing (MN) studies. Data werecollected using the Professional Preparedness of NursingStudents questionnaire during January 2024. Confi rmatoryfactor analysis was performed.Results: The initial 19-item model did not demonstratesatisfactory fi t indices; therefore, four items with low factorloadings were removed. After revision, the modifi ed 15-itemquestionnaire demonstrated good psychometric propertieswith acceptable model fi t indices and high overall internalconsistency.Conclusion: The results indicate that the Croatian version ofthe PPPNS-15 questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrumentfor assessing nursing students’ perceived preparednessfor independent clinical practice. Its use can signifi cantlycontribute to enhancing the quality of nursing education forfuture nurses in Croatia.