Italian Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Evidence‐Based Practice ( EBP ) Competency Scale

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based practice (EBP) competence is essential to high-quality and safe nursing care, yet rigorously validated instruments to assess EBP competencies are lacking in the Italian context. AIMS: To translate, culturally adapt, and psychometrically validate the Italian version of the Evidence-Based Practice Competency Scale for registered nurses and advanced practice nurses. METHODS: In 2024, a cross-sectional online survey of Italian nurses was conducted. The 24-item EBP Competency Scale was translated and culturally adapted following international guidelines. Content validity was assessed by a 16-member expert panel, and 405 nurses completed the scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire. The sample was randomly split for exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and measurement invariance by prior EBP training were examined. RESULTS: Content validity indices were high (I-CVI = 0.75-1.00; S-CVI = 0.92). A one-factor model explained 72.1% of variance and showed excellent fit. Reliability was very high (α = 0.974; ICC = 0.83). Multigroup CFA supported configural and metric invariance and partial scalar invariance, with lower latent EBP competence in nurses without prior training. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The Italian EBP Competency Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing EBP competence among Italian nurses. Its use can support benchmarking, guide EBP-focused education and implementation strategies, and provide a foundation for future advanced psychometric applications.