Background: Nursing competence refers to the core abilities that are required for fulfilling one’s role as a nurse. A specific instrument comprehensively measuring competence among nursing students has not yet been developed. The purpose of the study was to develop and validate a nursing competence instrument for nursing students in bachelor training. Methods: A descriptive and explorative study design was used. Data were collected from students at one medical college in Taiwan in 2020 and 2021. A total of 241 nursing students participated in this study. We developed the initial instrument through systematic review, expert evaluations, and pilot versions. Its validity was then tested using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and criterion-related validity, while its reliability was tested using Cronbach’s alpha and test–retest analysis. Results: The final fit indexes of CFA were as follows: chi-square = 860.1 (p < 0.01), normed chi-square = 2.24, SRMR = 0.04, RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.94, and TLI = 0.94. Cronbach’s alpha values for the subscales observed ranged from 0.91 to 0.98. The test–retest reliability coefficient for the Nurse Competence Scale was 0.515 (n = 30, p < 0.01). Conclusions: The instrument exhibited acceptable psychometric properties, thereby proving itself a valuable tool for evaluating nursing students’ competence at bachelor training. Further assessments of its reliability, validity, and generality from mentors’ and scholars’ views in different contexts and cultures are recommended.

Background: Evidence indicates that breast cancer survivors with reproductive concerns have a poorer quality of life than survivors without fertility concerns. There is a lack of reliable and valid assessments of fertility intention among breast cancer survivors. Purpose: The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Fertility Intention Scale (FIS) that is sensitive to the fertility intention of women with breast cancer. Methods: A literature review and a qualitative study were conducted to generate the items in the scale. Content validity was evaluated by 15 experts, and face validity was assessed by 10 patients with cancer. Factor analysis was used to assess construct validity, and criterion validity was evaluated using two percentile items of fertility willingness. We developed and examined the validity and reliability of the FIS using a sample of 178 patients with breast cancer who had completed chemotherapy. Results: The Cronbach’s alpha calculated for the FIS (15 items) was .88. The factor analysis performed for the construct validity of the scale identified four factors that accounted for approximately 68.72% of the total variance. These four factors were pregnancy risk, disease control, social support, and happiness. There was a significant correlation between the total FIS and the level of desiring fertility preservation or pregnancy. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: The FIS has acceptable reliability, content validity, and construct validity. This scale is appropriate for use in research and clinical practice settings to evaluate the risk–benefit perceptions of pregnancy in patients with breast cancer.

This study describes the fertility intention and explores factors related to fertility intention in reproductive-age women with breast cancer in Taiwan. In this cross-sectional study, women of childbearing age who had been diagnosed with breast cancer completed a face-to-face survey that included demographic, disease, and symptom-related data, and social support and fertility intention information. The mean fertility intention score among the 223 participants was “medium” (M ± SD = 41.18 ± 12.62). Higher symptom severity, especially for distress, was related to lower fertility intention. Instrumental support from families and friends was positively associated with fertility intention score. Younger women had better fertility intention scores than older women. The Sobel test showed that age mediated menopause and fertility intention. The findings offer the evidence of the needs to control symptoms and provide sufficient instrumental support regarding fertility after completing chemotherapy.