Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Cross-Validation of the Italian Version of the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool for Clinical Nurses

Aim: To cross-culturally adapt and psychometrically test the Italian version of the EPICC Spiritual Care Competency Self-Assessment Tool for clinical nurses (EPICC Tool-It). Design: Multicentre, cross-sectional validation study. Methods: The 28-item EPICC Tool was translated into Italian and culturally adapted following a rigorous methodology. A nationwide survey was conducted. Psychometric evaluation included content validity, structural validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), construct validity (known group analysis) and reliability using Cronbach's alpha, McDonald's omega and factor score determinacy. Results: The sample included 725 clinical nurses (76% female, 80% hospital-based), on average 38.7 years old (SD 11.33), with 14.6 years (SD 11.03) of experience. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a four-factor model (Knowledge of spirituality, Attitudes towards spirituality and spiritual care, Knowledge of spiritual care and Skills in spiritual care), with a second-order factor for the EPICC Tool-It. Construct validity was supported through known group analysis, showing score variation based on nurses' experience, education and religiosity. Internal consistency was excellent across all factors and the overall scale. Conclusion: A valid, multidimensional instrument is provided to assess spiritual care competencies in Italian-speaking nurses. The EPICC Tool-It is suitable for research and practice, facilitating evaluation of self-perceived competencies and educational effectiveness. Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care: The use of the EPICC Tool-It by nursing managers, educators and clinicians is recommended in both clinical and research settings to support education on spiritual care competencies. Impact: The EPICC Tool-It sets reliable measurement standards for spiritual care competencies, enhancing holistic care and comprehensive understanding of competencies globally. Reporting: This study adheres to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: Patients, service users, caregivers, or the public were not involved in the study. However, nurses as target users of the tool participated in the cultural adaptation and validation process.