[Defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis: excess fluid volume]

A descriptive exploratory study about the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis: excess fluid volume, founded by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association--NANDA. Carried out in an institution in Sã Paulo, SP, it aimed at the detection of the usage and significance assigned to the defining characteristics, as well as the skills associated to the propaedeutic procedures used in nursing clinical practice to determine such diagnosis. Data were collected through a questionnaire applied to 61 nurses, analyzed through descriptive statistic. Results have shown that the nurses who took part in the investigation have propaedeutic skills, use and acknowledge the importance of the NANDA's defining characteristics and normally use them.