Evaluation of advanced practice nurse competencies: validation of an instrument for primary care.

Objective: to evaluate the construct validity and reliability of the Brazilian version of the Instrument for the Evaluation of Advanced Practice Nurse Competencies in Primary Health Care.

Method: methodological study carried out in 78 primary health care centers in the southeast of Brazil, with 215 nurses. Data was collected using three instruments: the sample characterization form, the Brazilian version of the Advanced Practice Nurse Competency Assessment Instrument and the Therapeutic Interventions category of the Nurse Competency Scale. Construct validity was verified using confirmatory factor analysis and Spearman's correlation coefficient. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability.

Results: in the factor analysis, the model converged on a satisfactory result, with six items excluded, resulting in an instrument with 38 items distributed over eight dimensions. In convergent construct validity, positive, significant correlations were observed (p<0.0001) and ranged from weak to moderate in magnitude (r=0.2701 and r=0.397). Satisfactory evidence was found through the Composite Reliability analysis (0.78-0.89).

Conclusion: the instrument showed evidence of construct validity and internal consistency. It could be used to help implement strategies for developing advanced practice in nursing.

Background: (1) Encourage discussion on Advanced Practice Nursing (APN) in Brazil. (2) To provide an instrument for evaluating APN in Primary Health Care. (3) To help implement APN in Brazil in Primary Health Care. (4) The Brazilian version of the instrument can be applied in different contexts. (5) A strategy for strengthening the nursing workforce.