Nursing interventions in inpatient psychiatry

Accessible summary The use of a standardized nursing language enhances nursing quality. The Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) considers any treatment by nurses that improve patient outcomes. The present study identifies nursing interventions in journal articles on adult psychiatric inpatient nursing care. These interventions are compared with the NIC entries to elucidate how well this classification covers the realities of nursing in inpatient psychiatric settings. The NIC encompasses most interventions mentioned in the articles. Only a few interventions need to be added to the NIC classification or require a reorganization of the taxonomy. The successful application of the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) in inpatient psychiatry depends on whether the classification adequately describes nursing care in this setting. The present study aimed to identify nursing interventions mentioned in journal articles on psychiatric inpatient nursing care and to compare these with the labels, definitions and activities described in the NIC to elucidate how well the classification covers these interventions. The MedLine, PsychInfo, Cochrane and CINAHL databases were searched for journal articles about nursing care in the adult inpatient setting. A qualitative content analysis approach was used to indentify nursing interventions in the articles. About 84% of the statements (terms and definitions) are encompassed by the interventions listed by the NIC. Very few interventions need to be added to the NIC classification or necessitate a reorganization of the taxonomy. Nevertheless, the further development of the NIC will promote its use in the daily work of psychiatric nurses and enhance the quality of nursing care in the inpatient setting.