Purpose: To translate and validate the Italian version of the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS-ita). Methods: A single-center cross-sectional study was performed from October 15 to November 15, 2019 in a public hospital in Milan, Italy. The scale was drafted using the back-translation method. Prior to administration, the Italian version of the scale was assessed for content validity and retest stability by calculating the content validity index. Internal consistency was investigated by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient, test-retest stability by Spearman's rho coefficient. Findings: A total n = 337 nurses participated in the survey by correctly completing the scale. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test (0.81) and Bartlett's test of sphericity ( p < 0.001) confirmed the adequacy of the sample to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA). The factorial model of EFA without rotation and then with nonorthogonal Promax rotation confirmed the presence of the four constructs identified by the original author. Conclusions: SSCRS-ita showed promising psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability. The results of this study, together with the lack of in-depth studies in the Italian health and educational panorama, suggest the need to develop an educational pathway which, starting from the curricula of basic training and continuing with the updating of nursing staff, is dedicated to the detection of the spiritual needs of the patient. Implications for nursing practice: The SSCRS-ita is the first validated Italian tool concerning the consideration of the needs of spirituality and spiritual care in healthcare contexts; the possibility to use this tool is the first step towards a better integration of the mentioned dimensions of care in a nursing care qualitative perspective in Italy.

SUMMARY. Aim. People with mental disorders have higher risk of suicide compared to the general population. Assessment of risk factors can help nurses reducing suicidal risk. The Nurses’ Global Assessment of Suicide Risk scale (NGASR) has proven valid and reliable in supporting the nursing evaluation of suicidal risk in different studies. The aim of the study was to examine the psychometric properties of the NGASR in the Italian population. Methods. We translated the scale and administered it to a sample of 121 patients admitted to acute psychiatric wards. Results. The Content Validity Index-Scale (CVI-S) was 96.7%, the correlation with the Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) score was high (r=.98, p<.001). Inter-rater reliability (rho=.97, p<.001), and test-retest stability (p=.96) were satisfactory. Factor analysis pointed out 5 factors and the 15 items of the NGASR-ita explained 61.29% of total variance. Of the 121 subjects assessed upon admission, 25.62% had average or higher suicidal risk. Discussion and conclusions. The use of valid screening tools in support of Suicide risk assessment is recommended. The NGASR-ita is a valid and reliable tool, suitable for nursing assessment of suicidal risk in the acute psychiatric setting.