Use of the Nursing Interventions Classification and Nurses’ Workloads: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: The Nursing Interventions Classification allows the systematic organisation of care treatments performed by nurses, and an estimation of the time taken to carry out the intervention is included in its characteristics. The aim of this study is to explore the evidence related to the use of the Nursing Interventions Classification in identifying and measure nurses’ workloads. Methods: A scoping review was conducted through a search of the databases Ovid Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, LILACS and Cuiden. The DeCS/MeSH descriptors were: “Standardized Nursing terminology” and “Workload”. The search was limited to articles in Spanish, English and Portuguese. No limits were established regarding year of publication or type of study. Results: Few reports were identified (n = 8) and these had methodological designs that contributed low levels of evidence. Research was focused on identifying specific interventions, types of activities, the prevalence of interventions and the time required to perform them. Conclusions: The evidence found on determination of nurses’ workloads using the Nursing Interventions Classification was inconclusive. It is essential to increase the number of reports, as well as the settings and clinical context in which the Nursing Interventions Classification is used, with greater quality and methodological rigour.

Validation of a Nursing Workload Measurement Scale, Based on the Classification of Nursing Interventions, for Adult Hospitalization Units

“…NIC interventions, in which all the activities are reflected, and their use as a model for the development of nursing workload measurements are shown in other studies consulted [ 8 , 22 ], in which authors have also adopted the use of NIC interventions as a reference for measuring workloads in nursing teams [ 8 , 16 , 18 , 19 ]. Although there are more and more studies using the standardized NIC terminology to measure nursing workloads, it is essential to increase the number of reports as well as the settings and clinical context in which the Nursing Interventions Classification is used with greater quality and methodological rigor [ 21 ], and that is what we have attempted to contribute with our study, in this case, focused on the most characteristic adult hospitalization units of a hospital, such as those of internal medicine and surgery.…”

“…Together with the assessment of the four main functions of nursing, this has contributed to identify less-valued or less-visible activities that a nurse also performs, which are essential to provide quality care that has continuity in different levels of care [ 40 ]. The study of the time allocated to each intervention or nursing activity is also a poorly developed topic in the literature consulted to measure workloads in nursing since the systematic reviews consulted [ 21 , 41 ] show that most of the existing studies use the methodology of the minimum-required nurse–patient relationship, and very few evaluate the number of nurse hours per patient day staffing methodology, with even fewer studies based on identifying specific interventions, types of activities, the prevalence of interventions, and the time required to perform them [ 21 , 42 , 43 ], such as the study we present.…”

“…As we have said before, it is necessary that workload measurement instruments to be based on or include internationally standardized language so that all nurses can identify it, such as that offered by The Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) that describes specific behaviors of the act of caring and enables comparisons between the care practiced in different scenarios; it is regularly updated [ 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], and that allows the systematic organization of care treatments performed by nurses, and an estimation of the time taken to carry out the intervention is included in its characteristics [ 21 ]. A nursing intervention refers to any treatment or care based on clinical judgment and knowledge that the nurse performs to enhance patient outcomes [ 19 , 22 ].…”

Identifying nursing interventions captured in patients with stroke by Korean nursing students: Nursing interventions classification study

“…NIC supports an evidence-based practice tool to help nurses provide specific interventions, and standardizes the nursing knowledge. Investigating the concept of nursing interventions is a basic process of establishing the essence of nursing, systematizing the professionalism and independence of nursing knowledge [15,16].…”

Nursing intervention analysis: Understanding the characteristics of trauma patients in a regional emergency medical center

“…[12] The Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) provides a comprehensive, research-based, standardized classification to assist nurses in delivering care to patients. [22] In this context, an intervention is defined as "the treatment performed by a nurse based on clinical knowledge and judgement to improve the patient's condition." [13,14] Despite the existence of various medical studies on severe trauma, there is a notable lack of resources for research on nursing interventions for severe trauma patients in South Korea.…”