What does a reliability coefficient closer to 1 indicate about an instrument?

A reliability coefficient closer to 1 indicates that an instrument has high reliability. This means that the instrument consistently measures what it is intended to measure, leading to stable and dependable results across multiple administrations or evaluations. A high reliability coefficient suggests that there is minimal error in the measurements, allowing researchers to have confidence in the data collected. This is crucial in nursing research, where reliable instruments can significantly impact the findings and subsequent clinical decisions. In contrast, coefficients closer to 0 would indicate lower reliability, suggesting greater variability in the measurements and less confidence in the results.