Content validation study on the Advanced Practice Role Delineation Tool

Background Role understanding and practice standards become extremely important in countries that are developing and assessing nursing and advanced practice nursing (APN) roles. Aim To describe the process and findings of a content validation study conducted on the Advanced Practice Role Delineation (APRD) tool in a Finnish context. Design A tool content validation study. Method Between September and October 2019, three rounds of surveys (n = 9, n = 8, n = 5) were conducted to assess the content validity of the APRD tool. Furthermore, a thorough literature review was conducted in December 2020 to examine how the tool has been used and validated between January 2000 and December 2020. Results A 45‐item amendment of the APRD tool was created. The Scale Content Validity Index Average of 0.97 reflects excellent content validity. A literature review of 15 studies revealed that the tool has been used by many researchers, yet there is limited research on its content and construct. Conclusion The steps taken in this study were effective and may be replicated in other countries. Further studies are needed to validate the content and structure of the developed 45‐item modification of the APRD tool.