Developing a database to describe the practice patterns of adult nurse practitioner students

To describe the practice patterns of adult nurse practitioner students using a database composed of core health data elements and standardized nursing language.

Descriptive study of 3,733 patient visits documented by 19 adult nurse practitioner students in the academic year 1996-1997.

A database was designed for documenting the full scope of practice of adult nurse practitioner students by use of core health data elements and the standardized nursing languages of NANDA and NIC. Nurse practitioner students used the database to document every clinical encounter during their final clinical year of study. Most visits occurred in ambulatory care settings in a midwestern American city.

Based on the American Medical Association's Evaluation/Management coding system, data indicated that 50% of visits were classified as problem focused, while 31.9% were expanded, 10% were detailed, and 8.1% were comprehensive. The most frequently occurring NANDA diagnoses were pain, health-seeking behavior, altered health maintenance, and knowledge deficit. The most frequently reported nursing intervention classifications (NIC) were patient education, drug management, information management, and risk management.

Using standardized nursing language to describe clinical encounters made visible the complex clinical decision-making patterns of adult nurse practitioner students. Systematic use of a database designed for documenting the full scope of practice of nurse practitioner students showed the applicability of standardized nursing language to advanced practice nursing contexts.