A Pilot Study to Validate the Priority Nursing Interventions Classification Interventions and Nursing Outcomes Classification Outcomes for the Nursing Diagnosis 'Excess Fluid Volume' in Cardiac Patients

PURPOSE To validate the content of the priority Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) interventions and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)-suggested outcomes for cardiac patients with the nursing diagnosis excess fluid volume in the Brazilian context. METHODS The content of the interventions and outcomes was scored by seven expert nurses using a Likert scale, using the Fehring model. FINDINGS From the 83 activities of the priority NIC interventions, nine had scores lower than 0.5 (nonuseful) and 50 had scores higher than 0.8 (major); from the 53 indicators of the suggested NOC outcomes, eight scored lower than 0.5 and 26 had scores higher than 0.8. CONCLUSIONS The majority of the NIC interventions and NOC outcomes were considered useful by the Brazilian Cardiology expert nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE Clinical studies are an important strategy for validation of the usefulness of North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, NIC, and NOC language in clinical protocols. Additional studies are necessary to confirm the findings of this pilot study.