The Use of Nursing Diagnosis in Practice

This study was conducted to investigate the present situation and problems related to the use of nursing diagnosis in practice. The data were obtained from 332 subjects (27 director of nursing service, 302 staff nurses) who worked in university hospitals in Korea from July through August 1988 using a mailed questionnaire. Data were analyzed by frequency, X2 test and t-test. The findings were as follows: 1. Clinical use of nursing diagnosis by directors of nursing service and staff nurses. 1) The majority of the nursing departments (88.9%) conducted group education on nursing diagnosis during the last 5 years and 81.5% of them kept a record format for nursing diagnosis; 88.9% of them had had prior experience with the nursing diagnosis. 2) Most of nurses (97.0%) had received education on nursing diagnosis. 2. Factors related to the clinical use of nursing diagnosis in nursing service departments and by staff nurses. 1) The one factor related to the use of nursing diagnosis in the nursing service department was the existence of a record. 2) Factors related to the use of nursing diagnosis by the staff nurses were the organization style of the nursing service department, group education during the last 5 years, existence of a record, the attitude of the director of nursing service, and prior experience of the use of the nursing diagnosis as characteristics of nursing service department and educational experience of nursing diagnosis as a character of nurse. 3. Problems with the use of nursing diagnosis. 1) The primary problem was the lack of time and personnel (mean:3.757); the second problem was the lack of knowledge and will to use nursing diagnosis in practice by the staff nurses (mean:3.546). 2) There was no significant difference in problems expressed by the director of nursing services and the nurses. The majority of nurses who worked in the university hospitals expressed interest in and concern about the use of nursing diagnosis. Most of the nurses had had education about on nursing diagnosis but use in practice was limited. The primary problem was lack of time and manpower.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)