Using the nursing minimum data set for the Netherlands (NMDSN) to illustrate differences in patient populations and variations in nursing activities.
BACKGROUND
A nursing minimum data set (NMDS) provides data that are useful to legitimate nurses' contribution to healthcare. In Belgium and the US, such NMDS are operational, other countries are developing it, among which is the Netherlands.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether the nursing minimum data set for the Netherlands (NMDSN) is suitable to describe the diversity of patient populations and the variability of nursing care.


METHODS
Using the NMDSN data collection forms, patient data were collected from 15 different hospital wards. During one week, nurses manually completed the NMDSN list for every patient. The data analysis methodology from the Belgian MVG was used, including ridit analysis and graphs.


RESULTS
The NMDSN includes items related to hospital, patient demographics, medical condition, nursing process, nursing phenomena, nursing interventions, outcomes of nursing care, and complexity of care. There were 686 individual patients in the study, while for the data analysis their 2090 patient days in the hospital were used. Frequencies of nursing phenomena, nursing activities and results of care were calculated, transformed into ridit scores, and presented graphically as 'fingerprints'.


CONCLUSIONS
The set of NMDSN items allows illustrating the diversity of patient populations, and variation in nursing care by means of 'fingerprints'.
Acquest Consultancy BV, Dorpsstraat 50, 2396 HC Koudekerk aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. william_goossen@compuserve.com
W T
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Goossen
P J
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Epping
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Feuth
W J
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van den Heuvel
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A
Hasman
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Dassen
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003953:Diagnosis-Related Groups / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007587:Job Description; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D009730:Nursing Assessment / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D009732:Nursing Care / Q000379:methods*; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D016526:Workload