Psychometric Evaluation of the Political Self-Advocacy Instrument for nursing (PSAI‑N) as an Evidence‑Based Practice Tool

Background: Nurses play a critical role as patient advocates and are increasingly expected to influence health policy and advance the profession. Effective policy advocacy requires political knowledge, skills, and confidence; however, limited research has examined nurses’ self-efficacy in political self-advocacy. Although leadership and policy engagement are emphasized in professional nursing standards, little is known about nurses’ confidence in participating in political activities that affect their practice. This gap highlights the need for a validated tool to measure political self-advocacy among nurses.Aim: This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Political Self-Advocacy Instrument for Nurses (PSAI-N) in measuring nurses’ competency levels in political self-advocacy. By establishing the instrument’s psychometric properties, the study sought to confirm the validity and reliability of the tool. A validated PSAI-N provides an evidence-based method for assessing political self-advocacy competencies, identifying areas where nurses may benefit from targeted professional development, and ultimately strengthening nurses’ engagement in policy across all levels of practice.Methods: A descriptive, correlational design was used. The 49‑item Political Self-Advocacy Instrument for Nursing (PSAI-N) was adapted from the American Society for Pain Management Nursing tool (ASPMN), [1]. Construct validity and reliability testing were conducted. The instrument measures nurses’ beliefs, knowledge, and skills related to political self-advocacy.Results: Thirty-six advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) and APRN students completed pre-tests and post-tests. The PSAI-N demonstrated strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = .98). Reliability across the five constructs:Personal Advocacy, Public Awareness Advocacy, Nurse Perception Advocacy, Knowledge/Skill Advocacy, and Social/Political Advocacy-ranged from .828 to .965. Knowledge/Skill Advocacy and Nurse Perception Advocacy showed weaker relationships compared to the other constructs. The results demonstrated that only 2.8% of participants reported feeling comfortable with political skills and engagement.Conclusion: Advocacy and policy skills are essential for nurses to effectively advocate for patients, the profession, and the healthcare system. The PSAI-N shows strong psychometric potential as a standardized, evidence-based tool to measure political self-advocacy and guide targeted professional development.