CONFIRMATORY FACTOR-ANALYSIS OF THE NURSES OBSERVATION SYSTEM FOR GERIATRIC REFERRALS

The Nurses' Observation System for Geriatric Referrals is a 30-item ob servational scoring system for geriatric inpatients. As constructed, i t is scored into six subscales of five items each; however, these six factors have not been empirically validated. A confirmatory factor ana lysis, performed on a sample of 218 completed forms for 218 geriatric inpatients, did not support the six original factors. Exploratory fact or analysis gave a five-factor solution that partially replicated the scale's original factors but which also indicated important difference s for interpretation and clinical use.