Identification of nursing diagnoses and defining characteristics: two research models

Nursing diagnoses and their defining characteristics associated with one Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) were identified and validated. The clinical-retrospective model and the nurse validation model were used to identify high-volume nursing diagnoses associated with DRG 366, transurethral prostatectomy, and to validate related defining characteristics. For the clinical-retrospective model, 34 patient records classified as DRG 366 were reviewed, nursing diagnoses and their associated defining characteristics were identified and retrospectively validated. The nurse-validation model was implemented by assessing nine patients within DRG 366 over 22 shifts. Analysis using descriptive statistics demonstrated 80% level of agreement on five most frequently identified nursing diagnoses, but lack of agreement on the associated defining characteristics.