Nursing needs of patients in an adult Intensive Care Center

Abstract

The implementation of Systematization of Nursing Care (in Portuguese, SAE) processes is a requirement to all health institutions. It is important to determine nursing care needs especially in the case of critically ill patients. The study analysed nursing needs of ICU patients in a university hospital documented in 135 medical records from January 2009 to February 2010. Data was collected through the examination of 77 nursing actions or collaborative interventions based on NANDA Taxonomy II classes and domains. The analysis considered the activity report present in more than 30% of the medical records. Some activities, identified as nursing activities but not included in the above group, were discussed separately. The domains registered were mostly Safety/Protection, Nutrition, Elimination & Exchange, and Activity & Rest. In 59 of the nursing interventions identified, 24 were present in more than 30% of the records analysed. Although not explicitly recorded some actions recorded refer to tests and procedures in which nurses play a collaborative role. In conclusion even frequently recorded domains do not convey the real needs of ICU patients for they do not indicate actions or interventions specific to nursing care; records focussed, instead, on nursing collaborations with other professionals. Nurses' specific patient care actions and/or interventions were insufficiently recorded. It is imperative that nursing staff is able to evaluate and record nursing actions and/or interventions prevalent in an ICU and develop skills to perform such care.