Integrating nursing outcomes classification in nursing education

The importance of standardized language to communicate the contribution of nursing to the health of patients is beginning to be recognized and embraced by the profession. As we move to make standardized language part of nursing practice, it is essential to reach nursing educators who prepare future generations of nurses for the practice realities of the next century. The Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) is a valuable tool in nursing education and needs to be integrated into the curriculum at all levels. The current emphasis on evidence-based practice demands that graduates have the skills and mechanisms to measure the outcomes of nursing care.