Generic nursing outcome objectives for use in long-term care facilities

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Long-term Care
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Nursing diagnoses are crucial for patient care planning in long-term care facilities.
• Standardized outcome objectives are needed to guide nursing practice and evaluate care effectiveness.
• Identifying exceptions to expected outcomes is essential for personalized patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop generic outcome objectives for the most frequent nursing diagnoses in long-term care.
• To identify and specify exceptions to these outcome objectives.
• To provide practical tools for nurses in long-term care settings.

Main Methods:

• Data were collected from 360 patients in four long-term care facilities.
• Twenty-two registered nurses participated in the study.
• Outcome objectives and exceptions were developed for the 20 most common nursing diagnoses.

Main Results:

• Working statements for outcome objectives and exceptions were generated for 20 prevalent nursing diagnoses.
• These statements provide a framework for goal-setting and care evaluation.
• The developed objectives and exceptions are intended for practical application.

Conclusions:

• The developed outcome objectives and exceptions serve as a foundation for nursing practice, education, and research in long-term care.
• Nurses are encouraged to revise and adapt these statements to their specific practice environments.
• This work supports the advancement of standardized nursing care in long-term settings.