Representing nursing knowledge on maternal and neonatal health: a study on the cultural suitability of ICNP®

The purpose of this study was to explore the representation of knowledge among nurses and midwives in a maternal and obstetrics setting, in a hospital in northern Portugal. The research had two main objectives: to contribute to the identification and definition of concepts that represent nursing knowledge in obstetrics and to participate in the validation of the International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP)®.

Using a qualitative approach, the study was designed in three phases. The first phase aimed to identify the terms and expressions used by nurses in nursing documentation and oral report, using document analysis, observation and interview as data collection methods. The second phase intended to determine which terms and expressions corresponded to ICNP® concepts. The third phase aimed to analyse the definition of some ICNP® concepts. In both the second and third phases, a consensus approach was used based on the Delphi Technique. ICNP® concepts were identified from the words and expressions used by nurses and midwives to describe their practice.

The results of this study suggested modifications on some ICNP® concept definitions, namely burping, bonding, mother-child attachment, infant sucking, false labour pain, aborting, and uterine contraction; and the inclusion of specific characteristics in others, i.e. uterine expulsion, breast engorgement, colic, and hunger. New ICNP® concepts were also suggested, specifically mother-foetal attachment, uterine contraction after labour, pain after labour and foetal well-being.

The study confirmed that ICNP® is an important instrument to identify the concepts needed to describe mother and child needs during the perinatal period.