Quality of nursing diagnoses: evaluation of an educational intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects on the quality of nursing diagnostic statements in patient records after education in the nursing process and implementation of new forms for recording.


METHODS
Quasi-experimental design. Randomly selected patient records reviewed before and after intervention from one experimental unit (n = 70) and three control units (n = 70). A scale with 14 characteristics pertaining to nursing diagnoses was developed and used together with the instrument (CAT-CH-ING) for record review.


RESULTS
Quality of nursing diagnostic statements improved in the experimental unit, whereas no improvement was found in the control units. Serious flaws in the use of the etiology component were found. CONCLUSION. Nurses must be more concerned with the accuracy and quality of the nursing diagnoses and the etiology component needs to be given special attention.


CONCLUSIONS
Education of RNs in nursing diagnostic statements and peer review using standardized evaluation instruments can be means to further enhance RNs' documentation practice.
Florin
Jan
J
Department of Health and Social Science, Dalarna University, Falun, Sweden. jfl@du.se
Ehrenberg
Anna
A
Ehnfors
Margareta
M
D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis / Q000592:standards*; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D009737:Nursing Records / Q000592:standards; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013548:Sweden; D009626:Terminology as Topic