Toward Theory‐Based Diagnostic Categories

Abstract

As a social institution, nursing has a responsibility to society for the development of knowledge in the areas described by nursing diagnoses. This article focuses on the need for developing the theoretical basis of each diagnostic category. Diagnoses are viewed as summarizations of underlying conceptual models for interpreting observations, and as such, they provide a perspective for understanding and thinking about a set of clinical observations. At present many diagnostic concepts do not meet this standard and suggest primitive, pretheoretical ideas with a minimal knowledge base. The importance of having valid and reliable diagnostic categories for use in making clinical judgments and as a focus for care planning is discussed. A cycle of development is outlined in three phases: diagnostic concept identification, concept analysis‐model development, and construction/reconstruction of diagnostic categories. It is suggested that a useful category captures the conceptual understanding and state of knowledge development about a phenomena in its (a) name, (b) definition, and (c) cluster of defining characteristics.

Use of Nursing Diagnosis With Population Groups

“…Other issues involve determining whether to give priority to a behavioral or an environmental focus and selecting the level of abstraction. Several of these issues have also been identified by others (Gordon, 1990;Popkess-Vawter, 1991).…”

Clinical Validation of Nursing Diagnosis “Parental Role Conflict” in Mothers of Hospitalized Newborns

“…Major DCs are main indicators of the presence of a diagnosis, whereas minor DCs are secondary indicators (Carpenito‐Moyet, ; Fehring, ). In other words, major characteristics are those that Gordon () referred to as critical DCs, or those that must be present for a diagnosis to be made, whereas minor DCs are supporting characteristics that add additional information that support the diagnosis. Following Fehring's model, the DCs considered to be validated were those that obtained mean scores equal to or greater than 0.50.…”

Reliability of Nursing Diagnoses Documented in a Computerized Nursing Information System

“…T h e nursing profession is evolving as a discipline and venfylng and expanding its body of knowledge. The taxonomy of nursing diagnoses has been identified as a L U Idamental component of such knowledge (Douglas & Murphy, 1990;Gebbie & Lavin, 1974;Gordon, 1990;Jenny, 1994;Tripp-Reimer, Woodworth, McCloskey, & Bulechek, 2000). The use of nursing diagnoses has had increasing support over the last 26 years, since the First National Conference on the Classification of Nursing Diagnosis in 1973.…”