Factors associated with nursing diagnosis utilization in Canada.

Purpose: To investigate factors associated with nursing diagnosis utilization.

Methods: A retrospective chart audit was conducted on four hospital units over a 5-month period and linked to the nurses (N = 65) who participated in a survey on attitudes toward nursing diagnosis.

Findings: Computer-generated nursing care plans resulted in the greatest frequency of nursing diagnosis documentation. Nurses who did not document nursing diagnoses, and nurses employed in hospitals without nursing diagnosis implementation programs, had more positive attitudes toward the value of nursing diagnosis in practice compared with nurses who documented nursing diagnoses and nurses employed in hospitals with implementation programs.

Conclusions: Nurses have a greater tendency to document nursing diagnoses when institutions have formal educational programs and computer-generated care plans.