Content validation of the symptom control outcome for heart failure patients in palliative care

Psychometric evaluation of the Functional Health Pattern Assessment Screening Tool - Modified Brazilian Version

OBJECTIVE

to test the factorial structure, reliability and convergent validity of the Functional Health Pattern Assessment Screening Tool - Modified Brazilian Version.

METHOD

this was a psychometric evaluation of the Functional Health Pattern Assessment Screening Tool - Modified Brazilian Version. Seven hundred and seventeen participants answered the data collection instrument consisting of two parts. Part I included a structured questionnaire to collect sociodemographic data and the participants' perceptions and satisfaction with their current health status. Part II consisted of the tool being tested. The internal structure was assessed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. Convergent validity was evaluated by the correlation of the tool scores with the rates corresponding to self-perception and satisfaction with current health status. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha.

RESULTS

the Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed a three-factor solution. The factor loadings were significant and varied from 0.16 to 0.75; the fit indices suggested moderate fit of the model. Internal consistency for all three components varied between 0.779 and 0.919.

CONCLUSION

the findings suggest that the tool is valid and reliable to be used in the Brazilian population, although caution is recommended when interpreting the results due to the moderate fit of the model.

BACKGROUND

(1) The FHPAST-BR is a structured, valid and reliable Nursing-driven assessment tool.

BACKGROUND

(2) The tool provides a way of organizing clinical data and easing decision-making.

BACKGROUND

(3) The FHPAST-BR can be used in clinical practice and research.

Validation of Nursing Outcomes Classification: Knowledge and Self-management for Cardiac Disease

The Nursing Outcomes Classification provides two outcomes, Knowledge: Cardiac Disease and Self-management: Cardiac Disease, to assess knowledge and self-management behaviors of adults with cardiac disease. The purpose of this study was to validate the two nursing-sensitive outcomes to establish content validity. A methodological design was used using the Delphi technique. A total of 13 nurse experts in two domains participated in this study: five in standardized nursing terminologies and eight in self-management. Descriptive statistics and the Nurse-Patient Outcome Content Validity method were used to validate four aspects: definition adequacy of each outcome, clinical usefulness of measurement scales, importance of outcome indicators, and content similarity between the two outcomes. The definition adequacy, clinical usefulness, and content similarity of both outcomes were acceptable. A total of 81 indicators from the two outcomes were validated, and 60 were designated as critical. Nurses can evaluate cardiac patient outcomes effectively and accurately using these validated outcomes. The validated Nursing Outcomes Classification outcomes will also support the clinical decision-making of nursing students when they learn about patients with cardiac disease.

Palliative Care in Heart Failure: An Integrative Review of Nurse Practice

Introduction: Because it is a chronic disease of progressive evolution, heart failure requires nursing attitudes and practices that are articulated with palliative care, implemented in an interdisciplinary team along with patients and their families. Objective: Identifying nurses' attitudes and practices in palliative care in cardiology. Method: Integrative literature review. The searches were carried out in the following bases: Google Scholar, Virtual Health Library, LILACS, SciELO, Embase, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus; through the terms Palliative Care AND Cardiology AND Nursing. Results: We identified 1298 studies published in the last five years, 14 of which have been selected for the scope of this review. Nurse attitudes and practices were characterized as: approach to symptom control; promotion of comfort and well-being; integrality of care and family orientation; effective communication among patients, family members and nursing team; timely evaluation for palliative care. Most of the studies included in this review have evidence level 2C (n = 7) and 2B (n = 4). Therefore, the results can be interpreted as reliable. Conclusions: This study makes important contributions to the practice of nurses in palliative care for heart failure. Based on the evidence collected, nurses can develop actions with the nursing team and with the interdisciplinary team related to direct patient and family care, as well as professional training. However, the field lacks studies showing the practices and actions implemented by the nursing team.