Clinical validation of the NANDA-I diagnosis of impaired memory in elderly patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to perform a clinical validation of the defining characteristics of impaired memory (IM) in elderly patients at a long-term care institution. METHODS: A sample of 123 elderly patients was evaluated with a questionnaire designed to identify IM according to the NANDA-I taxonomy. Accuracy measures were calculated for the total sample and for males and females separately. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity values indicated that: (1) inability to learn new skills is useful in screening IM, and (2) forgets to perform a behavior at a scheduled time, forgetfulness, inability to learn new information, inability to recall events, and inability to recall factual information are confirmatory indicators. CONCLUSION: Specific factors can affect the manifestation of IM by elderly patients. The results may be useful in improving diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of the IM nursing diagnosis.

Clinical validation of the nursing diagnosis of impaired memory in patients with a stroke.

AIM: To validate the clinical indicators for the nursing diagnosis of impaired memory among patients with a stroke. METHODS: A sample of 123 patients who had been admitted with a stroke was evaluated by using a questionnaire that was designed to identify the presence of the clinical indicators for the diagnosis of impaired memory, according to the NANDA International taxonomy. Measures of sensitivity and specificity were calculated for each clinical indicator by using random-effects latent class analysis. RESULTS: The clinical indicators that demonstrated high levels of diagnostic accuracy included the following: an inability to learn new skills and an inability to retain new skills. The inability to learn new skills and the inability to carry out previously learned skills were identified as the clinical indicators with high sensitivity and specificity in the latent class model with adjustment for age. The inability to retain new skills indicator showed better diagnostic accuracy in individuals with lower educational levels. CONCLUSION: The clinical indicators of the impaired memory diagnosis were observed frequently in patients with a stroke; in these patients, impaired memory was characterized by the inability to learn or retain new skills and was influenced by the age and educational level.