Abstract

Development and Validation of an Instrument to Evaluate General Competences in Health Area Courses

Author(s): Graciele de Matia

The evaluation of the General Competencies in undergraduate courses in the healthcare area remains challenging. Objectives: To develop and validate the instrument directed to teachers and students from the health area. Methods: the present was a Methodological study, approved by REC N. 826.770. The study was performed in a Higher Education Institution in Curitiba/PR. Results: The study population consisted of 50 evaluations of students and 50 of teachers, covering all the periods and courses during the second half of 2014. It was possible to create one model the instruments that evaluated the general competencies for the healthcare area courses: Health Care, Management in Healthcare and Education in Health, directed towards the general competencies of the Health course. Conclusion: To validate the instrument on General Competencies, directed to teachers and undergraduate students of health area courses, the theoretical search, the NCG and the experts’ evaluation were used for Content Validity; the t Test, Chi-square Test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient were used for Criterion Validation; statistical tests of exploratory and confirmatory factorial analysis and the AIC were used for Construct Validity; and Cronbach's alpha and the AIC were used for Content validity, using the same steps described for the first goal, to ensure the reliability of the instruments. After this process three versions of the instrument were developed, the first two to be used with teachers and with teachers and students together; and the third version is adequate to be used with students or teachers; and also, for teachers and students together. However, it can be used by all health courses studied. Chart 1 - Scheme of validation and reliability/consistency of the assessment instrument for General Competencies of health courses