title: Validity and reliability of an oncology critical care patient acuity tool.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the reliability and validity of a patient acuity tool for use on a critical care oncology unit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prototype classification system using therapeutic indicators to describe a patient's acuity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intensive care unit of a research and academic oncology hospital in the Southeastern United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Critical care nursing staff including management-level personnel at the research site.
  
  
  METHODS
  An acuity tool for critical care was developed using the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center's patient classification system as a model. Content validity indexes were calculated based on ratings of nurse experts. interrater reliability was calculated based on two independent raters: a staff nurse and a patient care manager.
  
  
  METHODS
  Appropriateness of language and categorization of therapeutic indicators developed for the tool.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The content validity index of the entire tool was 0.85; 24/25 indicators were retained. Reliability was r = 0.84.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tool is reliable and valid.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acuity tools can be used to calculate unit productivity and assist with determination of staffing needs. In this age of healthcare reform, it is imperative that personpower needs in all care settings be accurately determined to provide cost-effective and safe care levels.
authors.affiliation: H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA.
authors.forename: V D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Marsee
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lovett
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: McMillan
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000592:standards*; D004526:Efficiency; D006801:Humans; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000592:standards*; D015588:Observer Variation; D009859:Oncology Nursing / Q000592:standards*; D017064:Process Assessment, Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D015144:Southeastern United States