Competence-based human resource management to improve managerial competence of first-line nurse managers: A scale development

Aim: This study aimed to develop and psychometrically test a competence-based human resource management scale to improve managerial competence of first-line nurse managers in public hospitals.

Background: To ensure the high competence of the first-line nurse managers, the competence-based human resource management should be evaluated using the best-fit instrument. However, no instrument has been identified in the hospital setting.

Methods: This methodological study consists of three main steps: (1) generating scale items based on literature review and expert interviews, (2) pilot testing of face and content validity and (3) evaluating psychometric properties with 300 first-line nurse managers from 16 public hospitals in Indonesia selected using a multistage sampling. Data were collected from May to December 2017. Principal component analysis and Cronbach's α were used for construct validity and internal consistency reliability.

Results: The final scale consists of 30 items in five dimensions, which explained 65.48% of the total variance. The dimensions include 'training and evaluation, career planning and development, rewards scheme, recruitment and selection, and appraisal system'. Cronbach's α for the scale was .89, with a range of .85 to .88.

Conclusion: The competence-based human resource management scale is reliable and valid to use in public hospital settings.