A retrospective study of nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and interventions for patients with mental disorders.

AIM: The aim of this study is to describe the most frequent NANDA-I nursing diagnoses, NOC outcomes, and NIC interventions used in nursing care plans in relation to psychiatric diagnosis.

BACKGROUND

Although numerous studies have described the most prevalent NANDA-I, NIC and NOC labels in association with medical diagnosis in different specialties, only few connect these with psychiatric diagnoses.

METHODS

This multicentric cross-sectional study was developed in Spain. Data were collected retrospectively from the electronic records of 690 psychiatric or psychogeriatric patients in long and medium-term units and, psychogeriatric day-care centres.

RESULTS

The most common nursing diagnoses, interventions and outcomes were identified for patients with schizophrenia, organic mental disorders, mental retardation, affective disorders, disorders of adult personality and behavior, mental and behavioural disorders due to psychoactive substance use and neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that NANDA-I, NIC and NOC labels combined with psychiatric diagnosis offer a complete description of the patients' actual condition.