How Nurses are Using the International Classifi cation of Functioning, Disability and Health: An Integrative Review

Diéssica Rggia Piexak,Clarice Alves Bonow,Marta Regina Cezar-Vaz,Silvana Sidney Costa Santos

doi:10.5294/aqui.2015.15.3.4

Abstract

Aim: The purpose of this study is to report the results of an integrative review of use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by nurses. This review is justified by the need for further investigation into use of the ICF in nursing, by nurses, so as to contribute to dialogue for the development of global, interdisciplinary and classification system comprehension. Methods: This integrative review included studies from 2001 to May 2015 in peer-reviewed journals. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts for inclusion and completed data extraction. The papers were sourced from a number of electronic databases: MEDLINE/NML/PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, CINAHL and SCIELO. Results: Twenty-six articles were included. Three themes on use of the ICF were identified: clinical nursing practice; teaching nursing students and nurses; and nursing research. Conclusion: This review helps nurses to visualise how and in what care environments the ICF is being used. It demonstrates the ICF has been used specifically in the rehabilitation nursing field, but offers some evidence of its use in occupational health as well.

Highlights

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a unified language and constitutes a framework for describing health and health-related states
It is an integrative review that offers the opportunity for a comprehensive understanding of certain phenomena by analysing specific theoretical or empirical literature
Despite the fact that World Health Organization (WHO) [1] emphasizes the ICF can be used for various areas of knowledge, these results indicate such a perspective is rarely explored in clinical nursing practice, with most of the articles (n=9) showing the specificity of clinical use in the rehabilitation area

Summary

Introduction

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) provides a unified language and constitutes a framework for describing health and health-related states. The ICF offers definitions of functioning and disability, based on the understanding that the term encompasses all aspects of the body’s functions, activities and restrictions to participation [1]. The current ICF model was approved by the World Health Assembly in May 2001, after several test versions. This model is based on the articulation of social and biomedical models, using a bio-psycho-social approach to visualise the integration of various dimensions of health (biological, individual and social) [1, 2]. Functionality is prioritised as a health component within the ICF, considering the environment both as a facilitator and as a barrier to performing activities and for participation. Disability is the result of a series of situations and conditions that include the environment, health and personal conditions [1]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion