[Computerizing the application of nursing care procedures]

To put into practice a working method which allows nursing personnel to apply Nursing Attention Procedures by means of a computerized system requires: the elaboration of a data sheet which identifies problems at the moment a patient is admitted; the establishment of plans for adequate care according to those problems identified; provide both of these with a computerized support system which enables their integration into a computerized clinical file. The evaluation of patients by means of questionnaires and the review of clinical files permits one to conclude: that nursing treatments follow a protocol and are individualized; that this makes it easier to record problems, both real or potential which a patient has, as well as the treatment which nurses apply daily; that this makes it possible to collect data which the computerized treatment system makes available for future analysis; that permits one to calculate the costs of nursing functions in posterior treatment phases; and that introduces a working system which is a motivating element for the personnel of a unit.