NURSING ACUITY INSTRUMENT FOR HOSPITALIZED CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS (PATIENT CLASSIFICATION).
Contributors: Virginia Commonwealth University.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 211
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Health Care Management.
Description: The purpose of this investigation was to modify and test an acuity-based nursing patient classification instrument for use with hospitalized child and adolescent psychiatric patients. The instrument was tested for content validity, inter-rater reliability, and internal consistency. Methodological triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data was used to determine if the proposed classification instrument can be useful in determining patient acuity and nursing resource utilization. An original conceptual model was developed as a guide to study this concept.

Non-participant observation in the form of work-sampling was completed to identify direct and indirect nursing care activities as they relate to this patient population. Factor analysis and regression equations were computed to identify factors that influence patient care. Results from this study indicated that the classification instrument is valid and reliable, with some limitations. The content validity index (CVI) of 1.00, indicated that the instrument had content validity. The inter-rater reliability of the overall instrument was r =.92. The findings also support the relationship between patient acuity and need for nursing care. A comprehensive model was developed from the findings that include other important factors, beside acuity, that affect nursing resource utilization. This study represents beginning knowledge in this area, since no studies were found in the literature that used a classification instrument for hospitalized child and adolescent psychiatric patients.

The main contributions of this study are the development of a conceptual model for use in studying nursing resource utilization, and a patient classification instrument for use with hospitalized child and adolescent psychiatric patients. Further research is suggested to test both the application of the model and the utility of the instrument. This instrument can be used by nurse administrators to determine staffing requirements and treatment team planning for the patients. This is particularly important due to cost containment initiatives and budgetary planning. Also, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations has recommended that nursing service standards include patient classification systems to determine patient requirements for nursing care.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: B, page: 3403.

Thesis (PH.D.)--VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY, 1992.

School code: 2383.