Validation of the Brazilian version of the Nursing Work Index‐Revised (B‐NWI‐R)

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE: The goal of this paper was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Nursing Work Index-Revised-Brazilian version (B-NWI-R). BACKGROUND: Some instruments evaluate the presence of certain characteristics in the professional practice environment of nurses. Among them, the B-NWI-R, often cited in the literature and which is examined in the present study. This instrument is composed of 57 items and four subscales: autonomy, control over the work environment, nurse-physician relationships and organisational support. DESIGN: A cross-sectional research design was carried out in three public university hospitals in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: The sample was composed of 278 nurses. The reliability of the instrument was evaluated through its homogeneity, using the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The validity of the subscales of the B-NWI-R was evaluated through divergent construct validity and criterion-related validity. For the divergent construct validity, the Brazilian version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was employed, while for the criterion-related validity, variables such as 'satisfaction at work', 'perception of quality of care' and 'nurses' intention to leave work in the following year' were considered. RESULTS: The results showed satisfactory consistency for the total of the items (α=0·95) and for the subscales of the B-NWI-R: 'control over practice settings' (α=0·75); 'nurse-physician relationships' (α=0·75); 'organisational support' (α=0·75) and 'autonomy' (α=0·63). The divergent validity resulted in significant correlation between the adapted instrument subscales and those of the MBI. In addition, a significant correlation was obtained between the subscales of the B-NWI-R and the variables 'perception of quality of care', 'satisfaction at work' and 'intention to leave work in the following year'. CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity of the B-NWI-R have been established. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The B-NWI-R subscales can be used to assess the nurses' perceptions of the work environment.