Polish Adaptation of the Nurse Professional Competence Scale

BACKGROUND Professional competence is essential to high-quality nursing care. The aim of this study was to culturally and linguistically adapt the Nurse Professional Competence Short Form Scale (NPC-SF) to the Polish context and to evaluate its psychometric properties. MATERIAL AND METHODS A methodological study was conducted among Polish registered nurses (N=441) using a standardized translation and cultural adaptation process in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) and International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) guidelines. The content validity of the Polish version (NPC-SF-PL) was assessed using the Content Validity Index (CVI). Construct validity was evaluated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's alpha coefficients. RESULTS The Polish version of the NPC-SF demonstrated strong psychometric properties. Content validity was confirmed with a Scale Content Validity Index/Average of 0.94, and item-level agreement exceeded the recommended threshold (Item Content Validity Index, I-CVI ≥0.78). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported the original 6-dimensional structure, with excellent model fit indices (Comparative Fit Index, CFI=0.992; Tucker-Lewis Index, TLI=0.991; Standardized Root Mean Square Residual, SRMR=0.065). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.901-0.964), confirming reliability. CONCLUSIONS The Polish adaptation of the NPC-SF is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing professional nursing competence. Its strong validity and reliability confirm the suitability of the Polish NPC-SF for use in Poland. The scale's robust psychometric performance supports its application in both clinical practice and educational evaluation within the Polish healthcare context.