[Application and evalauation of care plan for patients admitted to Intensive Care Units]. / Aplicación y evaluación del plan de cuidados en pacientes ingresados en la unidad de cuidados intensivos.

OBJECTIVE: Assess whether the use of the nursing care plans improves outcomes of nursing care to patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). METHODS: The study was conducted in a University Hospital of Barcelona in Spain, using a pre- and post-study design. A total of 61 patient records were analysed in the pre-intervention group. A care plan was applied to 55 patients in the post-intervention group. Specific quality indicators in a medical intensive care unit to assess the clinical practice of nursing were used. Fisher's exact test was used to compare the degree of association between quality indicators in the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 116 records of 121 patients were evaluated: 61 pre-intervention and 55 post-intervention. Fisher test: The filling of nursing records, p=.0003. Checking cardiorespiratory arrest equipment, p <.001. Central vascular catheter related bacteraemia (B-CVC) p=.622. Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) p=.1000. Elevation of the head of the bed more than 30° p=.049, and the pain management in non-sedated patients p=.082. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of nursing care plans in patients admitted to the intensive care area may contribute to improvement in the outcomes of nursing care.