Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 26, 2026

Observational Study Protocol for Repeated Clinical Examination and Critical Care Ultrasonography Within the Simple Intensive Care Studies
Published on: January 16, 2019
Training in data definitions improves quality of intensive care data
Daniëlle G T Arts1, Rob J Bosman, Evert de Jonge
1Department of Intensive Care Medicine, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. D.G.Arts@amc.uva.nl
Background:
Our aim was to assess the contribution of training in data definitions and data extraction guidelines to improving quality of data for use in intensive care scoring systems such as the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II in the Dutch National Intensive Care Evaluation (NICE) registry.
Methods:
Before and after attending a central training programme, a training group of 31 intensive care physicians from Dutch hospitals who were newly participating in the NICE registry extracted data from three sample patient records. The 5-hour training programme provided participants with guidelines for data extraction and strict data definitions. A control group of 10 intensive care physicians, who were trained according the to train-the-trainer principle at least 6 months before the study, extracted the data twice, without specific training in between.
Results:
In the training group the mean percentage of accurate data increased significantly after training for all NICE variables (+7%, 95% confidence interval 5%-10%), for APACHE II variables (+6%, 95% confidence interval 4%-9%) and for SAPS II variables (+4%, 95% confidence interval 1%-6%). The percentage data error due to nonadherence to data definitions decreased by 3.5% after training. Deviations from 'gold standard' SAPS II scores and predicted mortalities decreased significantly after training. Data accuracy in the control group did not change between the two data extractions and was equal to post-training data accuracy in the training group.
Conclusion:
Training in data definitions and data extraction guidelines is an effective way to improve quality of intensive care scoring data.
Related Concept Videos
Data Reporting and Recording
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
Data Validation
Nursing assessment guides are generally based on holistic models rather than medical...
Data Validation
Key parameters for method validation include:
Methods of Documentation V: CBE
In CBE, healthcare professionals establish predefined standards of practice that define what constitutes...
Guidelines for Nursing Documentation I
Factual:
The following points emphasize the significance of upholding accurate and unbiased documentation in healthcare.