Pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale: A confirmatory factor analysis

Objective: Although confirmatory factor analysis is an essential stage in validation of any instrument, the Pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale had not been subject to it. Accordingly, the present study aims to conduct a confirmatory factor analysis of the pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale. Methods: This psychometric validation study was conducted in three university hospitals in the largest city in the south of Iran in 2024. The study population consisted of 300 operating room nurses in teaching hospitals who used pneumatic tourniquets. The 41-item Pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale, scored using a 5-point Likert scale, was completed by the operating room nurses who were selected by quota sampling. In the present study, to determine the validity and reliability of the scale, the researchers applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha, respectively. Results: The total Cronbach’s alpha of the scale was found to be 0.85. The CFA results validated the seven-subscale structure of the Pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale. These seven subscales are: ‘testing the functioning of pneumatic tourniquets’, ‘contraindications for the use of pneumatic tourniquets’, ‘considerations on selecting the right cuff’, safe application of pneumatic tourniquets before, during and after surgery, and ‘record keeping and documentation’. The goodness-of-fit indexes of the factor analysis model of the scale were satisfactory and the value of the Cronbach’s alpha confirmed the internal consistency of the items. Conclusion: Given the satisfactory validity and reliability of the Pneumatic tourniquet work safety scale, administrators should consider adopting the scale as part of guidelines for application of pneumatic tourniquets. Drawing on credible, up-to-date scientific sources, the scale covers various aspects of application of pneumatic tourniquets and can enable all surgical team members to provide higher qualitymedical care.