Validating a Nursing Assessment instrument in a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Area of Science:

• Nursing Science
• Pediatric Critical Care

Background:

• Effective nursing history is crucial for comprehensive patient care in Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs).
• Existing instruments may not fully align with established nursing theories, necessitating tailored tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a Nursing History instrument specifically for PICU settings.
• To base the instrument's framework on the established Theory of Basic Human Needs.

Main Methods:

• A methodological study was conducted from October 2018 to April 2019.
• The process involved establishing a theoretical structure, item construction, expert validation, and content/appearance assessment.

Main Results:

• The instrument comprises three stages: initial data collection, additional psychosocial and psychospiritual needs assessment, and physical examination data.
• The validated instrument demonstrated good internal consistency (0.75) and high agreement (≥0.83).

Conclusions:

• The developed Nursing History instrument is relevant and pertinent for PICU use.
• The instrument is deemed appropriate in terms of content, clarity, scope, and appearance for clinical application.