title: The need for operational definitions for defining characteristics.
abstract: Although much attention has focused on the validation of defining characteristics for nursing diagnoses, equal attention has not been devoted to the development of operational definitions for defining characteristics. Operational definitions, however, provide a reference for determining whether defining characteristics are present in patients who participate in clinical validation studies. Validation of nursing diagnoses emerges from occurrence of the diagnostic label in clinical practice. Operational definitions provide the bridge between incidental observation and scientific validation of nursing diagnoses.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kinney
mesh_terms: D015400:Clinical Nursing Research; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006801:Humans; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D009626:Terminology as Topic