The VIPS-model used by nursing students--review of educational care plans

The VIPS-model developed by Ehnfors et al. (1991) for nursing documentation and writing of care plans was used and evaluated by nursing students in connection with their final assignments. In addition to their evaluation by the use of a questionnaire, the students' written care plans were reviewed. Three instruments were used, two were tested in earlier studies when reviewing registered nurses' care plans, and one was developed especially for this review of the quality of the students' care plan assignments. The results showed that the key words for nursing assessment were evaluated as both useful and easy to use while the key words for nursing interventions were considered useful but more difficult and were used to a less extent. Many students did not document any outcome or any discharge notes. The instruments that were used for the review of the care plans were of great help in analyzing the use of the model as well as the content and comprehension of the key words.