Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2012, 3(2):390-397

Factors influencing the use of nursing diagnoses in practice

Helena Macková¹, Renáta Zeleníková^2,*

¹ Neurological clinic, St. Anne's University Hospital Brno; Church secondary school of nursing, Brno

² Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava

Aim: The main aim of the study was to identify which factors influenced the use of nursing diagnoses in clinical practice. Another aim was to ascertain whether age, education and type of workplace affected the relative importance accorded to these factors.

Methods: A non-standardized questionnaire on factors influencing the use of nursing diagnoses was administered to a sample consisting of 243 registered general nurses from 9 healthcare facilities in the Czech Republic. Using Likert's 5 -point scale, the nurses rated the importance of several factors in influencing their use of nursing diagnoses in practice. The research was conducted between June 2011 and November 2011.

Results: Based on our sample, there are several factors which influence the use of nursing diagnoses in practice. Some of them are: number of patients per nurse, administrative strain, burnout syndrome, lack of time, discrepancies between theory and practice, lack of staff. Statistically significant age-related differences in rating factors were found for the following: discrepancies between theory and practice, lack of motivation. Statistically significant differences in ratings relative to education were found for four factors: disunity of nursing diagnoses, diagnostic terminology, discrepancies between theory and practice, workplace routine. Based on type of workplace, statistically significant differences in ratings were found for five factors: diagnostic terminology, discrepancies between theory and practice, lack of practical experience in nursing diagnostics, workplace routine, burnout syndrome.

Conclusion: Recognizing the factors which influence the use of nursing diagnoses and enhancing institutional support can facilitiate the implementation of nursing diagnostics in practice.

Keywords: nursing diagnoses, factors, general nurse, practice

Published: September 30, 2012  Show citation