Clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis of inadequate nutritional intake in children with cancer.

PurposeTo clinically validate the nursing diagnosis "Inadequate Nutritional Intake" based on elements identified within a specific situation theory framework in the context of children with cancer.MethodThis is a diagnostic accuracy study following the Standards for Reporting Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (STARD) protocol. Specifically, it refers to the clinical validation phase of the nursing diagnosis Inadequate nutritional intake, using a cross-sectional design. The study was conducted in a tertiary pediatric hospital with a sample of 69 children diagnosed with cancer.FindingsA total of 11 clinical indicators demonstrated diagnostic accuracy above 50%, including: ascites, low weight-for-age ≤2 SD, cachexia, mid-upper arm circumference < 10th percentile, fatigue, pale mucous membranes, dry mucosa, dry skin, weight loss greater than 5% within 1 month, compromised immune response, and delayed wound healing. The primary etiological factors identified in this study were chemotherapy, economic disadvantage, inadequate dietary pattern, insufficient dietary intake, rejection of hospital food, and family food culture. The nursing diagnosis had a prevalence of 7.25% among the participating children.ConclusionsDespite the low prevalence, this study highlights that inadequate nutritional intake is a real and complex health issue in this population, with multiple etiological factors requiring a precise and systematic assessment for early identification by healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. This underscores the importance of research focused on refining nursing diagnoses in specific populations.Implications for nursing practiceValidation studies such as this enhance the accuracy and evidence-based nature of nursing practice, while also supporting collaborative decision-making for addressing nutritional issues in children with cancer, considering the various etiological factors involved.