NURSING DIAGNOSES IN AN ONCOLOGY POPULATION

The purposes of this study are to identify the nursing diagnoses occurring in an oncology population, to validate these using the clinical validation model, and to determine whether clusters of defining characteristics and etiologies occurred among the diagnoses identified. Secondary analysis was conducted using the patient care records of 48 oncology patients. Twenty-five nursing diagnoses were identified. The most common diagnoses were alteration in comfort (pain) and alteration in nutrition (less than body requirements). The etiologies of stress, pain, life changes, disease, and treatment occurred in some combination in 14 diagnoses. The defining characteristics of pain and fatigue/weakness occurred in over six diagnoses. Clusters of defining characteristics occurred with eight diagnoses. Clusters of etiologies occurred with the diagnosis of sleep/rest disturbance. Validation of defining characteristics and etiologies indicated variation from those proposed by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association. One overriding variation was in the degree of specificity of defining characteristics used in clinical practice. The findings of this study support the need for continued validation of nursing diagnoses and continued education of nurses in the use of nursing diagnoses. The findings also contribute to the body of knowledge in nursing diagnoses in oncology patients, and contribute to the work beginning to be done in the field of nursing diagnosis with research into the existence of clusters of defining characteristics, etiologies, and/or nursing diagnoses.