Development and Validation of the Hospital Security Personnel Narrative Competency Scale (HSPNCS)

Background This study aimed to develop and validate the Hospital Security Personnel Narrative Competency Scale (HSPNCS) to assess the narrative competency of hospital security personnel, filling a gap in narrative medicine research for healthcare support workers. Methods The HSPNCS was administered to 645 hospital security personnel from 17 hospitals in Zhejiang Province, China. Psychometric properties were evaluated through factor analysis and reliability testing. Results The finalized HSPNCS consists of 36 items across three dimensions: self-reflection, empathy, and professionalism. It demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.967) and robust structural validity. Conclusion The HSPNCS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the narrative competency of hospital security personnel, supporting the development of narrative medicine in healthcare settings. The scale can improve communication, empathy, and professionalism among hospital security personnel, facilitating the integration of narrative medicine into healthcare support training and enhancing patient care.