Validation of the Italian version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale in nurses

Aims To ascertain the validity and reliability of the Italian version of the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS‐6). Background Presenteeism has been associated with a work productivity reduction, a lower quality of work and an increased risk of developing health disorders. It is particularly high among nurses and needs valid tools to be assessed. Methods A validation study was carried out from July to September 2014. A three‐section tool, made of a demographic form, the Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS‐6) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS‐10) was administered to a sample of nurses, enrolled in three Italian hospitals. Results Cronbach's α for the entire sample (229 nurses) was found to be 0.72. A significant negative correlation between SPS and perceived stress scores evidenced the external validity. The factor analysis showed a two‐component solution, accounting for 71.2% of the variance. The confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate fit. Conclusion The Italian SPS‐6 is a valid and reliable tool for workplace surveys. Implications for nursing management Since the validity and reliability of SPS‐6 has been confirmed for the Italian version, we have now a valid tool that can measure the levels of presenteeism among Italian nurses.