Nursing diagnoses related to psychiatric adult inpatient care

Aims and objectivesTo detect the prevalence of NANDA-I diagnoses and possible relationships between those and patient characteristics such as gender, age, medical diagnoses and psychiatric specialty/setting. BackgroundThere is a lack on studies about psychiatric inpatient characteristics and possible relationships among these characteristics with nursing diagnoses. DesignA quantitative-descriptive, cross-sectional, completed data sampling study was performed. MethodsThe data were collected from the electronic patient record system. Frequencies for the social-demographic data, the prevalence of the NANDA-I diagnoses and the explanatory variables were calculated. ResultsIn total, 410 nursing phenomena were found representing 85 different NANDA-I diagnoses in 312 patients. The NANDA-I diagnosis Ineffective Coping was the most frequently stated diagnosis followed by Ineffective Health Maintenance, Hopelessness and Risk for Other-Directed Violence. Men were more frequently affected by the diagnoses Ineffective Coping, Hopelessness, Risk for Self-Directed Violence, Defensive Coping and Risk for Suicide, whereas the diagnoses Insomnia, Chronic Confusion, Chronic Low Self-Esteem and Anxiety were more common in women. Patients under the age of 45years were more frequently affected by Chronic Low Self-Esteem and Anxiety than older patients. Ineffective Coping was the most prevalent diagnosis by patients with mental disorders due to psychoactive substance use. Patients with schizophrenia were primarily affected by the diagnoses Ineffective Coping, Impaired Social Interaction and Chronic Low Self-Esteem. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates the complexity and diversity of nursing care in inpatient psychiatric settings. Patients' gender, age and psychiatric diagnoses and settings are a key factor for specific nursing diagnosis. Relevance to clinical practiceThere are tendencies for relationships between certain nursing diagnosis and patient characteristics in psychiatric adult inpatients. This enhances the specific, extended knowledge for nursing care and its demands in this setting and therefore supports the daily nursing psychiatric care and its needs.