Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Psychometric Validation of the Italian Version of the Dignity in Care Scale for Nurses

AIM: To translate, culturally adapt and validate the Dignity in Care Scale for Nurses (DISC-N) into the Italian language. DESIGN: A national multicentre cross-sectional study. METHODS: Translation and cultural adaptation followed recognised guidelines for health measurement instruments. Content validity was assessed through expert review. Structural validity, item performance, reliability, construct validity and measurement invariance were examined in a national sample of registered nurses and nursing students. RESULTS: A total of 1385 registered nurses and 905 nursing students from 14 regions and one Autonomous Province participated in this study. The Italian DISC-N showed excellent content validity, a coherent six-domain structure, and strong reliability for the total scale and its domains. Measurement invariance was supported across gender, age and professional role, indicating that comparisons across these groups are appropriate. Construct validity was supported by positive associations with ethical climate. CONCLUSIONS: The Italian DISC-N is a culturally appropriate and psychometrically robust instrument for evaluating dignity-preserving nursing practice in Italian clinical and educational settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND PATIENT CARE: The scale can support professional development, undergraduate education and quality improvement by helping organisations assess, monitor and strengthen dignity-preserving care. IMPACT: This study addressed the absence of an Italian instrument for assessing nurses' perceptions of dignity-preserving care. The main finding is that the Italian DISC-N provides a valid and reliable measure for nurses and nursing students. The findings will affect clinical educators, nurse managers, researchers and healthcare organisations seeking to promote person-centred and dignity-preserving care. REPORTING METHOD: The study was reported according to the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments reporting guideline. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.