Keywords
ED
Questionnaire
Nurse
Psychometric Validation
How to Cite
Abstract
Introduction. The main purpose of the Emergency Department (ED) is to treat emergency and urgent cases requiring immediate assistance through rapid diagnosis and timely medical or surgical intervention. However, citizens may perceive the ED as a solution for all health and social issues, leading to inappropriate visits. This critical phenomenon has recently been highlighted at the international level due to the potential negative consequences. The underlying causes of inappropriate ED use are still not clearly understood. This study aims to provide a tool to identify the underlying reasons for inappropriate ED visits.
Methods and materials. Multi-phase study. Phase 1: narrative literature review to identify domains and develop specific items; Phase 2: content validation by a panel of experts; Phase 3: face validation by an additional group of professionals. Phase 4: translation by bilingual experts.
Results. A total of 21 items were developed, distributed across 4 domains, plus a section to be completed by the administrator. The content validity index of individual items (I-CVI) ranged from 0.80 to 1.00; the scale content validity index (S-CVI) of the questionnaire was 0.98. The final version of the questionnaire achieved an average face validity score of 3.90 (± 0.32) on a 4-point scale.
Discussion. Non-urgent ED use is considered an indicator of healthcare system efficiency. This study offers the scientific community a useful tool to explore the motivations behind inappropriate ED use, with particular attention to the knowledge of territorial services, perceived urgency, and trust in healthcare professionals. This type of study can inform the development of strategies to address inappropriate ED use and to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based services. Larger, prospective studies are warranted to further confirm the safety profile of these devices.
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