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PURPOSE. To explore the use of standardized language, NNN, in the development of evidence-based practice (EBP).
DATA SOURCES. Published research and texts on family interventions, nursing diagnoses (NANDA-I), nursing interventions (NIC), and nursing outcomes (NOC).
DATA ANALYSIS. Research literature was summarized and synthesized to determine levels of evidence for the NIC intervention Family Integrity Promotion.
CONCLUSIONS. The authors advocate that a "standards of practice" category of levels of evidence be adopted for interventions not amenable to randomized controlled trials or for which a body of research has not been developed. Priorities for nursing family intervention research are identified.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE. The use of NANDA-I nursing diagnoses, NIC interventions, and NOC outcomes (NNN language) as research frameworks will facilitate the development of EBP guidelines and the use of appropriate outcome measures.
Search terms: Evidence-based practice (EBP), family integrity promotion, levels of evidence, NNN standardized nursing language
A review of nursing texts, journals, conference programs, and nursing Web sites reveals that evidence-based practice (EBP) is becoming the global standard for nursing care. Nurses in clinical practice are encouraged to determine the level of evidence for their work, develop evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, and implement care based on the best evidence available. Much of the impetus for evidence-based nursing practice in clinical settings in the United States comes from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and a desire to maintain Magnet designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. Pierce (2007) recently published a guideline for assisting rehabilitation nurses in the United States with this process, and others (Malloch & Porter-O'Grady, 2006; Melynk & Fineout-Overholt, 2005) have provided guidance for nurses in other clinical practice settings in choosing the best evidence for their care.
Standardized nursing language using Nursing Diagnoses, Nursing Interventions Classifications (NIC), and Nursing Outcomes Classifications (NOC), also referred to as NNN (NANDA, NIC, and NOC) language, is also used in many settings worldwide. Yet when combining "EBP" and "NNN language" in a computerized literature search, no articles were found that applied NNN language in developing evidence-based guidelines. However, two articles were noted that have tied together the concepts of NNN language and EBP. Berg, Fleischer, and Behrens (2005) explored search strategies to find NNN taxonomies in the EBP literature. Levin,...