ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: To determine whether patients assigned to primary care nurses who use the nursing process (use of NANDA-I, NIC, and NOC) achieve better intermediate health outcomes than the population assigned to nurses who do not use the nursing process. METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted in 34 primary healthcare centers of Area 11 of the Community of Madrid (Spain) based on electronic health records. FINDINGS: The extension of health care provided was greater in nurses who used the nursing process. Patients assigned to these nurses have better control of their chronic diseases and incur lower drug costs. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the nursing process can lead to improved health of populations. IMPLICATIONS: The development of strategies is necessary to ensure greater use of the nursing process among nurses in primary care.
Subject(s)
Nursing Process , Primary Health Care , Chronic Disease/nursing , Cross-Sectional Studies , Drug Costs , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to publicize the experience of implementing and developing the nursing process in a sanitary area of primary health care (PHC), and to assess the outcomes reached during the past 9 years. METHODS: This descriptive longitudinal study was carried out in the 42 PHC centers in the 11th Primary Care Area of Madrid, Spain. FINDINGS: Between 2001 and 2009, 243,838 new nursing diagnoses were performed. The indicator of resolution capacity ranged from 75% to 80% for the attended problems. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses in the 11th PHC Area have effectively incorporated the nursing process as a work methodology in their caregiving practices. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The nursing process can be used to identify nursing care issues and assess the capacity for resolution.