NANDA and NIC: Mediators to Describe Irish Intellectual Disability Nursing

Abstract

PURPOSETo identify the foci of interest specific to nursing interventions within residential, intellectual disability nursing through the use of the terms and meanings presented in NANDA and NIC.METHODSData were collected using a Delphi approach involving a purposive sample of 8 individuals with relevant expertise, followed up by the conduct of three focus groups held with a total sample of 17 intellectual disability nurses working in three Irish service settings: traditional residential, community residential, and nurse education. Data were examined for contextual meaning as well as consensus of perceptions.FINDINGSMany potential interventions and diagnoses were identified for the field of residential learning disability nursing. Interventions that elicited a >50% consensus among participants across groups were examined for contextual meaning, based on the taped and noted responses, and potentially related NIC interventional labels were then applied. These led, through a reverse NIC‐NANDA linkage exercise, to the identification of 8 potentially related interventions. The contextual aspect directed the analysis process to identify the nursing diagnoses associated with the interventions to be used, and 21 resultant diagnoses were identified.DISCUSSIONFurther analysis and study are needed to verify the relevance of these diagnoses and interventions to residential learning disability. A quick comparison of the results with those of studies carried out in other countries demonstrates that certain diagnoses have been identified by one or more authors in their studies.CONCLUSIONSThis study identified a number of foci that have achieved various levels of consensus among the study participants. The ongoing study plan will further examine nurses' and managers' perceptions while also looking at these within the context of current service philosophy.