Validation of the Chinese Version of the WSPPIR for Assessing Nurses’ Engagement in Public Policy: A Modified Delphi Study

Background/PurposeNurses, as the largest health workforce, play a crucial role in shaping health outcomes through policy engagement. Measuring their policy involvement is essential. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Waddell Spectrum of Policy Participation Influence and Research (WSPPIR) instrument into Chinese for use in Taiwan.MethodsBrislin's translation model (forward translation, reconciliation, and back-translation) was applied. To address cultural and systemic differences, the Delphi method was conducted with experts in nursing practice, management, and policy. Across three rounds, experts assessed item simplicity, relevance, and clarity, and Content Validity Index (CVI) scores were calculated. Of 38 items, one test question was excluded, leaving 37 items for translation. Reliability was tested among 222 nurses from the medical centers in Taiwan.ResultsThirty-three items were revised and modified to reflect Taiwan's political and nursing systems. Four items were deleted as they were not suitable for Taiwan's political and nursing system. By Round 3, 33 items had reached consensus, with S-CVI/UA and S-CVI/Ave scores of 0.97. The Chinese version demonstrated good reliability (Cronbach's α = 0.86), compared with acceptable reliability in the English version (α = 0.78).ConclusionsIntegrating Brislin's model with the Delphi method and CVI ensured semantic, cultural, and functional equivalence. The validated Chinese WSPPIR instrument is a reliable and valid tool for evaluating nurses' participation in health policy in Taiwan and provides a rigorous framework for the cross-cultural adaptation of policy-related instruments.