Do Clinicians Use Diagnostic Labels to Direct Intervention Selection?

Abstract

The authors report a descriptive, correlational study that evaluated the relationship between accuracy in selecting diagnostic labels and nursing interventions, and the relationship between accuracy in selecting outcome statements and nursing interventions. An instrument developed by the authors was used, based on previously published case studies. For two case studies, respondents (N =17) were asked to indicate how important the nursing problem, the intervention, and the outcome statement would be in patient care. No relationship between accuracy in diagnostic label selection and accuracy in intervention Selection was found. A positive correlation between accuracy in outcome selection and accuracy in intervention selection was found for one of the cases.