German version of the index of professional nursing governance: translation, cultural adaptation and psychometric validation

Background: Shared governance enhances nurses' participation in decision-making and professional autonomy. The Index of Professional Nursing Governance (IPNG) is a validated tool for measuring such perceptions, but no German version previously existed. Aims: This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and evaluate the psychometric properties of the German version of the IPNG. Methods: A two-phase study was conducted. Phase 1 included forward-backward translation and cognitive debriefing interviews with 10 clinical nurses. In Phase 2, a cross-sectional online survey was administered to 1090 registered nurses at a Swiss university hospital. Structural validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and internal consistency was evaluated with Cronbach's alpha. Known-groups validity was tested based on demographic and organisational variables. Results: CFA supported the original six-factor structure with good fit indices (comparative fit index = 0.97, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.97). The root mean square error of approximation (0.09) and the standardised root mean square residual (0.09) exceeded the threshold but remained within the acceptable range for multifactorial models. Most items had factor loadings above 0.70. Internal consistency was strong (α > 0.80). Known-groups validity showed significant differences by age and commitment. Conclusions: The German IPNG is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing shared governance.