Evaluation of the nursing intervention classification for use by flight nurses

Area of Science:

• Nursing Informatics
• Emergency Medical Services
• Healthcare Documentation

Background:

• Nursing interventions in air transport records require standardized terminology for effective communication and data analysis.
• The Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) system is a widely recognized tool for standardizing nursing language.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the consistency between nursing intervention terminology in air transport records and the established Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) system.
• To identify potential gaps or areas for improvement in the NIC system for flight nurse documentation.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective descriptive study design was employed.
• Analysis of 46 air transport records for cardiac patients.
• Examination of 7958 data elements, focusing on 1435 identified nursing interventions.

Main Results:

• Nearly all (99%) identified nursing interventions were classifiable within the NIC system.
• A small percentage (8.5%) of NIC interventions did not accurately reflect the advanced skills demonstrated by flight nurses.
• The NIC system proved useful but not entirely sufficient for comprehensive flight nurse documentation.

Conclusions:

• The current NIC system is a valuable tool for classifying flight nurse interventions but needs refinement.
• Modifications to the NIC are necessary to encompass the advanced scope of practice observed in flight nursing.
• Addressing structural inconsistencies within the NIC is crucial for improved data classification in air transport settings.