A Computerized Nursing Process Support System in Brazil

BACKGROUND

Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre introduced the nursing process model as the basis for nursing practice at the hospital more than 20 years ago. A computerized nursing order system based on nursing diagnoses was introduced. The strategies used in the development of the system included establishment of Nursing Diagnosis Work Groups in 1998; systematic analysis of nursing processes based on the work of existing studies, the NANDA taxonomy in 1999; development and implementation of a data collection instrument to analyze the nursing diagnosis process; training of all nursing staff during 1999–2000; meetings between analysts and nursing staff to articulate the nursing process needs the system would be required to support; pilot implementation of the computerized nursing process system in the ICU in February 2000; and hospital-wide implementation in December 2000.

The system supports nursing diagnoses and orders. It was developed in-house by the information systems group at the hospital and is implemented as an Oracle database accessed in client server mode over a Windows NT-based Ethernet network. The system is part of the hospital's larger clinical information management system.

MAIN CONTENT POINTS

The patient care module includes medical orders and nursing orders. On entering the nursing orders module, the user selects a patient and the system presents a list all current orders completed and pending. These orders can be examined, updated, and reprinted, and new daily nursing orders can also be input at this time. The “new order” screen provides the user with any previous orders to ensure consistency in nursing care. New nursing orders are prepared based on the patient history, physical exam, and daily evaluations. Required interventions are identified based on changes in the patient's “basic human needs.” This process can be realized through two distinct paths through the nursing care module: one associated with diagnoses and the other with signs and symptoms. A nurse with more clinical experience and knowledge of diagnostic reasoning will opt to develop orders based on diagnoses.

After the diagnosis and associated etiology is input, the system generates a list of possible interventions for selection. The duration and frequency of the intervention can then be specified and the order individualized to a patient's particular needs. Less experienced nurses and students will develop nursing orders based on a patient's signs and symptoms. The system generates a list of diagnoses, etiology, and associated basic human needs in response to the signs and symptoms input. The nurse selects the appropriate diagnoses and etiology and the system generates the list of nursing intervention options.

Nurses following either path are required to confirm their orders. They then have the option of developing other orders for the same patient until all that patient's basic human needs have been addressed. The orders can be printed but also remain in the system for nursing staff to implement.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of systematic, evidence-based methods in nursing care results in improved quality of service that conforms to individual patients' basic human needs.