Filling a gap in standardized nursing terminology. Development of a new nursing diagnosis proposal on heart failure self-care

Purpose Heart failure is a highly prevalent chronic health problem associated with poor quality-of-life and negative outcomes. Self-care is a cornerstone in patients suffering from heart failure. Nurses are commonly engaged in enhancing patients' self-care behaviors, but the specific condition of deficit on self-care is not clearly identified by nurses. No nursing diagnoses focused on self-care of heart failure patients is currently available. This study aimed to develop a new nursing diagnosis that focuses on self-care in heart failure patients.Data sources A concept and content analysis were used. Some steps of the concept analysis were performed through an integrative literature review conducted searching in PUBMED and CINAHL databases to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the diagnosis. Forty-five articles were selected from the 1450 studies found. Then, the content analysis was performed by an international panel of 29 experts. Two Delphi rounds were used to achieve consensus and an item content validity index was calculated for each diagnostic element.Data synthesis Integrative review proposed four diagnostic labels, two definitions, 15 defining characteristics, and 44 related factors. After the two Delphi rounds a consensus was reached for each diagnostic indicator with a content validity index ranging from 82.8% to 100%. The nursing diagnosis-labeled heart failure self-care deficit-was validated with a definition, eight defining characteristics, 15 related factors, and five at-risk populations.Conclusions This diagnosis allows nurses to document patients' self-care in daily clinical practice through a standard nursing terminology, by naming this health problem, describing its etiology, and clinical manifestations.Implications for nursing practice This new diagnosis is expected to assist nursing clinicians, educators, and students in clinical reasoning with the aim to improve diagnostic accuracy in identifying patients with a heart failure self-care deficit, to select the most appropriate interventions and pursue better outcomes.