Chapter Five

Nursing Diagnosis Research

for Students

Nursing Diagnosis Research

for Students
Contributor
Margaret Lunney

The Importance of Research Support for

Nursing Diagnosis
For Decades, All New Nursing Diagnoses have been Based
On Research = Evidence-Based Nursing

Number and Types of Studies Vary for Individual Diagnoses

Additional Studies are Needed for All Nursing Diagnoses:

Meaning and Use with Variety of Populations
Use with Interventions and Outcomes

YOU can Help!

Conduct Your Own Nursing Diagnosis Research - Examples Follow

Concept Analysis
Answers Research Questions Such as:
What Meanings of the Concept are Described in the
Literature?
How is This Concept Distinguished from Other Related
Concepts?
What have Been the Uses for This Concept?
Instructions on How to Conduct a Concept Analysis
(Walker and Avant 2005)

Content Validation Studies

Answer Research Questions Such as:
What is the Meaning of the Concept with a Specific Population?
What are the Defining Characteristics?
What are the Related Factors?
What are the Appropriate Uses for the Diagnosis(es)?
Subjects:
Nurses Who Work with People Experiencing the Diagnosis
People Who Experience the Diagnosis Considered as the Best
Type of Data

Construct and Criterion-Related Validity

In Clinical Studies, Answer Research Questions Such

as:
How Does a Specific Diagnosis Differ from Other Related Diagnoses?
Does This Diagnosis Occur Under Certain Conditions?
What is the Frequency of Occurrence Under Certain Conditions?
How Consistently is the Diagnosis Used by Nurses?
What Factors Influence Occurrence of the Diagnosis?
To What Extent Do People with Risk Factors Experience the Diagnosis?
What are the Outcomes When Interventions are Provided for This Diagnosis?

Consensus Validation
Answers Research Questions Such as:
To What Extent Do Experienced Nurses Agree Regarding the
Relevant Diagnoses for a Specific Population?
Which Nursing Diagnoses Should be Included in Standards of
Care for a Specific Population?
Which Nursing Diagnoses Should be Available in the Front
(Primary or Main) Screens of EHRs for a Specific Population?
Which Diagnoses Should Routinely be Used in a Specific Health
Care Setting?

Sensitivity, Specificity and Predictive Values

In Clinical Studies, Answer Research Questions Such

as:

Which Defining Characteristics can Reliably Predict a Diagnosis?

Which Defining Characteristics are Most Sensitive to Occurrence
of a Diagnosis?
Which Defining Characteristics are Major (Most Commonly
Prevalent) Defining Characteristics?
Which Defining Characteristics are Not Sensitive Enough to
Predict a Diagnosis (Some Diagnoses have Too Many Defining
Characteristics)?

Accuracy of Nurses Diagnoses

Answers Research Questions Such as:
How Accurate are Nurses with Specific Education, Experience,
Types of Competencies, and So Forth?
What Factors Impact on Accuracy in Specific Settings?
What Factors in Three Categories Should be Modified or Mitigated
to Positively Affect Accuracy?
The Situational Context
Types of Clinical Cases
Nurse Diagnosticians

Implementation Studies
Answer Research Questions Such as:
What are the Frequencies of Using Specific Diagnoses?
Under What Circumstances are Diagnoses Being Used?
Which Nursing Interventions are Being Used with Diagnoses?
What are the Effects on Patient Outcomes When Diagnoses and
Interventions are Applied?

Sources for Research Design

Books, Journals and Librarians
Teachers and Researchers

Getting Started as a Researcher

Read Research Articles
Use Published Research as
Models (e.g. Chapter in NANDA-I Book).
Develop Research Teams:
Colleagues
Administrators
Doctorally Prepared Nurses

Getting Started as a Researcher

Reflect on Practice
Effort

Rewards!
1. Knowledge Development for Nursing
2. Contribution to Quality-Based Nursing Care

(Lunney 2008)

References
Lunney M. (2008) The need for international nursing diagnosis research and a theoretical framework.
International Journal of Nursing Terminologies and Classifications 19(1), 28-34.
Walker L, Avant K. (2005) Strategies for Theory Construction in Nursing, 4th edn. Norwalk, CT:
Appleton and Lange.