Knowledge Deficit: Not a Nursing Diagnosis

Abstract

This paper challenges the conceptual validity of the approved nursing diagnosis “Knowledge Deficit (specify).” The concept is examined in relation to four criteria for legitimate nursing diagnoses: appropriate conceptual focus, necessary diagnostic attributes, theoretical validity and clinical utility. Using these criteria, the author concludes that knowledge deficit is not a legitimate diagnosis and suggests that it can be dropped from the taxonomy. This would encourage clinicians to focus on patients' Problem state using lack of knowledge as a risk factor, etiology or defining characteristic. Patient outcomes would then be defined in terms of state resolution rather than knowledge increment alone.

Clinical Support For Eliminating The Nursing Diagnosis Of Knowledge Deficit

“…Other commonly used diagnoses included (a) Alteration in Comfort, (b) Alteration in Cardiac Output, (c) Activity Intolerance, and (d) Ineffective Individual Coping. Jenny's (1987) model for clinical validation of nursing diagnoses proposes that diagnoses be examined in relation to four criteria for legitimacy: (a) appropriate conceptual focus, (b) necessary diagnostic attributes, (c) theoretical validity, and (d) clinical utility.…”

“…According to Jenny (1987), "It is unclear what clinical finding would constitute the critical defining characteristics of a knowledge deficit when patients are not inclined to voice a lack of understanding or information" (p. 184). In reality, nurses often infer from observations that a patient lacks necessary knowledge.…”

“…This systematic testing of accepted diagnoses involves evaluating them according to predetermined criteria. Jenny (1987) suggested that knowledge deficit does "not meet the criteria for a nursing diagnosis, is theoretically invalid, and has limited utility" (p. 185). The purposes of this study were to investigate the appropriateness of the use of knowledge deficit as a nursing diagnosis in specific situations and to examine the validity and utility of this diagnostic label in nursing.…”

Validação de conteúdo do diagnóstico de enfermagem conhecimento deficiente

“…For some authors (6)(7) , this category does not constitute a nursing diagnosis, i.e. does not constitute a human response, an alteration or a dysfunctional standard, but a related factor that can trigger other problems, such as self-care deficit, anxiety, fear, ineffective health maintenance and ineffective therapeutic regimen management.…”

“…However, it was observed that there are few studies about the "deficient knowledge" diagnosis, most of which were developed in the 1980s (2,6,(18)(19) . Considering the importance of identifying the patients' knowledge deficits in order to prepare hospital discharge and the establishment of an educational plan focused on individual needs, this study was started with the objective of validating the content of the defining characteristics of the "deficient knowledge" diagnosis regarding coronary disease and myocardial revascularization.…”