Development and Psychometric Testing of the Health Sciences Generic Competence (HealthGenericCom) Instrument: A Cross-sectional Study

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3306

Keywords:

Generic competence, Health sciences, Instrument, Psychometric testing, Student

Abstract

There is a clear need for highly competent health sciences experts. No instrument currently exists for assessing the generic competences of health sciences students. The aim of this study is to develop and psychometrically test the Health sciences Generic Competence (HealthGenericCom) instrument. The instrument development four step process has been conducted with a cross-sectional study design and according to the COSMIN guidelines. Face and content validity was tested by 13 experts, structural validity was tested with exploratory factor analysis, and internal consistency was evaluated by calculating Cronbach’s alpha. The structural validity was tested using data from Finnish health sciences students (n=276). The content validity index of the whole HealthGenericCom instrument was 1 for relevance and for clarity. Using exploratory factor analysis a model of eight factors (with 88 items) was created: 1) competence in leadership, administration, and finance; 2) competence in people-centred guidance; 3) competence in health promotion; 4) competence in evidence-based practice; 5) digital competence; 6) competence in work well-being and self-management; 7) competence in collaboration and problem-solving; and 8) competence in societal interaction. The HealthGenericCom was shown to be valid and reliable and provides an evidence-based conceptual framework that can be used in developing curriculums and competence management.

Author Biographies

Sari Pramila-Savukoski, University of Oulu

Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine,  University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000, FI-90014, Finland

Heli-Maria Kuivila, University of Oulu

Heli-Maria Kuivila, MHSc https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8639-7640Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, FinlandContact e-mail: heli-maria.kuivila@oulu.fi

Jonna Juntunen, University of Oulu

Jonna, Juntunen, MHSc https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3195-8265Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, FinlandContact e-mail: jonna.juntunen@oulu.fi

Miro Koskenranta, University of Oulu

Miro, Koskenranta, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7842-2703Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, FinlandContact e-mail: miro.koskenranta@gmail.com

Erika Jarva, University of Oulu

Erika Jarva, MHSc https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6860-4319Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, FinlandContact e-mail: erika.jarva@oulu.fi

Anna-Maria Tuomikoski, University of Oulu

Anna-Maria Tuomikoski, PhD https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9387-9058The wellbeing services county of North Ostrobothnia,Oulu University Hospital, Oulu,Kajaanintie 50, FI-90220 Oulu, FinlandContact e-mail:annukka.tuomikoski@ppshp.fi

Mira Hammarén, University of Oulu

Mira Hammarén, MHSc https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2132-9812Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, FinlandContact e-mail: mira.hammaren@oulu.fi

Kristina Mikkonen, University of Oulu

Kristina Mikkonen, PhD, professor  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4355-3428 Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of OuluAapistie 5A, P.O. Box 5000,FI-90014, Finland,Medical Research Center Oulu, Oulu University Hospital and University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. Kajaanintie 50, FI-90220 Oulu, FinlandContact e-mail: kristina.mikkonen@oulu.fi

References

Pramila-Savukoski, S., Kuivila, H., Juntunen, J., Koskenranta, M., Jarva, E., Tuomikoski, A., Hammarén, M., & Mikkonen, K. (2024). Development and psychometric testing of the Health Sciences Generic Competence (HealthGenericCom) Instrument: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Research in Education and Science (IJRES), 10(1), 21-45. https://doi.org/10.46328/ijres.3306

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Published

2024-02-17

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2024)

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Articles

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