Evaluation of the effectiveness of nursing interventions in research from Brazilian postgraduation programs

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate research from Brazilian postgraduate students who provide evidence of effectiveness for Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC).

Methods: We conducted a literature review study of thesis and dissertations available in the Brazilian Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses (D/T) in May 2021 regardless of the year they were conducted. In those studies that did not utilize the NIC in the effectiveness evaluation, the cross-mapping methodology was employed between NIC and the interventions used by the authors of the studies.

Results: Using a systematic process, we identified 91 studies. Twenty-seven met a priori inclusion and exclusion criteria. We found an increase in studies that focused on nursing interventions in the last 10 years (n = 19), a large proportion of clinical trials (n = 16), and the majority of articles from the Southeast region of Brazil (n = 20). The areas of focus were adult and elderly care, and with a special interest in the behavioral domain (n = 11). Two sensitivity criteria were identified in all D/T (n = 27), and each study presented evidence of effectiveness of a minimum of three criteria simultaneously.

Conclusions: Based on the effectiveness criteria, the Brazilian scientific production in postgraduate programs carried out by nurses provides evidence of the effectiveness for NIC nursing interventions.

Implications for nursing practice: It is recommended to conduct further research that uses the NIC in the planning, conduct, and evaluation of interventions, based on effectiveness criteria of nursing sensitivity.

Keywords: NIC terminology; education, nursing, graduate; effectiveness; nursing research; review; standardized nursing terminology.