Validation of an instrument for patient classification to support obstetric nursing care.
Vanessa Damasceno Laporte, Clara Fróes de Oliveira Sanfelice, Ariane Polidoro Dini
PMID 39045980WHAT IT FOUND
A new tool classified pregnant and postpartum women by nursing care demand.
Twelve expert nurses agreed with its items, and it ranked women similarly to an existing system. It has not been tested for agreement between different nurses.
Key findings
01Ten nursing care demand indicators were created, and 12 expert nurses judged all indicators relevant and clear.
02In 120 obstetric beds, the new instrument classified 90% as minimal care and 10% as intermediate care.
03The new instrument's scores showed a strong positive relationship with the existing Fugulin instrument, with a Spearman coefficient of 0.64.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The instrument was applied by one author, and pandemic conditions prevented testing whether different nurses classify the same patient the same way. The sample was low complexity: no bed was classified into high-dependency, semi-intensive, or intensive care. Data came from one hospital and excluded rooming-in beds, so it may not reflect other obstetric settings. The study did not test patient outcomes, repeated use over time, or whether the tool changes care or staffing. Only 12 of 15 invited experts participated.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the tool is ready for routine use because experts accepted it and it ranked patients similarly to Fugulin. The study did not test whether different nurses classify the same patient the same way, and it included almost no higher-dependency patients.