Development and psychometric validation of the comfort scale for injection

BACKGROUND: Patients' comfort level during the injection procedure affects the quality of care. However, the literature does not provide a valid, reliable, and specific measurement tool to measure this level. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool to determine patients' comfort levels during the injection procedure. METHOD: The study was designed methodologically. The study data were collected at two Hospitals. The sample consisted of 102 patients in the pilot application stage and 186 patients in the main application stage. The study's data collection tools were the "Personal Information Form," "VAS for Comfort," and the "Comfort Scale for Injection" draft. The obtained data were used for validity and reliability analyses. Validity analyses involved content validity, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and criterion validity. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's Alpha and split-half tests. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS 22 and AMOS. EFA used the KMO test and Bartlett's Test (KMO = 0.878; p < 0.001), with Varimax rotation, while CFA confirmed the factor structure. Pearson correlation evaluated criterion validity. RESULTS: The scale consisted of 10 items and two sub-scales: "Comfort during the Injection Procedure" and "Environmental Comfort." The "VAS for Comfort" and the scale and its sub-scales showed a positive correlation. The Cronbach Alpha Value of the entire scale was found to be 0.899. CONCLUSION: The data showed that the "Comfort Scale for Injection" is an adequate, valid, and reliable measurement tool for determining patients' comfort level during the injection procedure. Measuring patients' comfort levels during injection at regular intervals is recommended, as new studies are planned to increase injection comfort and adapt the "Comfort Scale for Injection" for different languages and cultures.