PURPOSE To examine the frequency and quality of documented nursing diagnoses and to compare the diagnoses regarding ward and patient characteristics. METHODS The following data were collected from 11 acute care wards in five psychiatric hospitals in Switzerland and Austria: documented nursing diagnoses, demographic characteristics of an unselected sample of 30 consecutively discharged patients in each ward, ward data, and data from three randomly selected complete charts from each ward. Free‐text diagnoses were recoded into NANDA terminology. Frequencies were calculated and compared across settings and regarding patient and ward characteristics. Diagnoses were examined for quality and structure of the diagnostic statements. FINDINGS Mean age of patients was 40 ± 13 years, and the main psychiatric diagnoses were schizophrenia, mood disorders, substance abuse, and neurotic and personality disorders. Of the 664 nursing diagnoses located in 330 nursing records, 635 were proper nursing diagnoses; 83% of patients had at least 1 nursing diagnosis (X̄= 2). The number of diagnoses correlated weakly with patient length of stay. Of the nursing diagnoses, 20% were made on admission day, and the majority of nursing diagnoses was active at discharge. Ninety percent of the diagnoses were formulated using NANDA terminology. The most frequently used categories were coping‐related diagnoses—disturbed thought processes and self‐care deficits. Numerous problem–etiology–symptom (PES)formatted diagnoses had diagnostic labels nested within the etiology. Countryand setting‐specific similarities and differences were found with a significantly higher number of nursing diagnoses in Austria where use is mandated. In Austria, more somatic nursing diagnoses were found. The most frequent nursing diagnoses were similar in both countries. DISCUSSION The number of diagnoses corresponds to results reported in the international literature suggesting the justification for international comparison. Ten categories represent 60% of nursing diagnoses. Approximately 50% of nursing diagnoses were made in the first days after hospitalization, rendering their use practicable. A minority of nursing diagnoses were discontinued, possibly suggesting that some problems are difficult to solve or evaluate. The PES format and the NANDA terminology are used quite extensively even when not mandatory. NANDA terminology is deemed useful and practical, but problems occur when nursing diagnoses CONCLUSIONS Nursing diagnoses represent the main areas of nursing, but cultural differences exist regarding the diagnostic process. Thus, research is needed to test the appropriateness of nursing diagnoses to characterize nursing populations.

In Austria and Switzerland, nursing diagnoses in psychiatric nursing have been used increasingly over the last few years. To date, few empirical studies on the clinical use of nursing diagnoses in psychiatric nursing have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency and content of documented nursing diagnoses and to compare the utilization of nursing diagnoses in Austria and Switzerland. We prospectively registered all documented nursing diagnoses in an unselected sample of 330 patients consecutively discharged from eleven acute (admission) wards in five psychiatric hospitals in Switzerland and Austria. 635 nursing diagnoses were located. 83% of the patients had at least one nursing diagnosis (mean = 2, median = 1). 20% of the nursing diagnoses were documented on admission day and 90% of the diagnoses were formulated using NANDA terminology. The most frequently used categories were coping-related diagnoses, disturbed thought processes, and self care deficits. In comparison to Switzerland, nursing diagnoses are implemented more consequently in Austria. There seem to be differences between the two countries in the application of the diagnostic process. We conclude from the study's results that the application of nursing diagnoses is possible on acute psychiatric wards with a short length of stay of patients. 20 NANDA diagnoses account for a large portion of the care problems of acute psychiatric patients. Local differences in the use of the diagnostic process deserve further examination.