Development and Psychometric Evaluation of a Spiritual Care Simulation and Companion Performance Checklist for a Veteran Using a Standardized Patient

Background Spiritual care is a professional mandate in nursing. Patients want and benefit from spiritual care, but nurses report lack of education and uncertainty on how to integrate spiritual care into practice. Simulation can evaluate nurses’ ability to provide spiritual care but must be evidence-based and requires psychometric evaluation. Method A spiritual care simulation for a veteran and performance checklist were created based on literature review and were psychometrically evaluated. Forty RNs participated in the simulation and completed the Spiritual Care Inventory. The participants, the standardized patient and independent observer completed the performance checklist. Results Findings supported content, face, construct and predictive validity as well as interrater reliability. Conclusions Simulation can be used to teach spiritual care.