Northwick Park Dependency Score- a New Scale for Use in Nursing Practice
Journal Title: Pielęgniarstwo Neurologiczne i Neurochirurgiczne - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 1
Abstract
Introduction. Evaluation of functional limitations in patients with ischemic stroke is essential in planning suitable nursing care. The main aim of all nursing procedures taken is to ensure the safety of patients, to provide the best, individualized care fulfilling patients’ needs and to support recovery process, considering the necessary number of nursing staff and time needed for these procedures. A tool helpful in the process of diagnosis and planning care is the Northwick Park Dependency Score — NPDS. Aim. The aim of the present study is to describe the Polish version of this scale and to assess its usefulness by comparing the NPDS with the Barthel Index — considered the “golden standard” for assessing patient’s disability and dependency. Material and Methods. The study included 100 elderly ischemic stroke patients aged 60 to 99 years (mean 76.1, SD 9.07). To assess patient’s dependency and thus the need of nursing care, the NPDS Scale was used. Functional status of patients was assessed with the Barthel Index, and the neurological state using the NIHSS. Results. Most items in NPDS, are similar to the items of the BI. However, the NPDS includes additional important questions regarding cognitive functions, communication and behavioral dysfunctions. It allows to estimate the number of nursing staff and their scope of competences necessary for providing care as well as time needed for particular nursing activities. There is a strong correlation between individual modules in the NPSD and the BI sales (r≈0.90). Nevertheless, these are not interchangeable. The high correlation coefficient confirms the validity of the Polish version of the NPDS. Conclusions. NPDS is a simple and useful tool in nursing care allowing to plan the activities based on objective indicators. Despite many similarities it is not a substitute for the popular Barthel Scale. Therefore, the NPDS should be promoted in the nursing environment as a possible work tool.
Authors and Affiliations
Justyna Kosakowska, Barbara Grabowska-Fudala, Anna Smelkowska, Maria Wilkiewicz, Krystyna Górna
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP405351
- DOI 10.15225/PNN.2018.7.1.1
- Views 65
- Downloads 0
A Care Plan For the Patient with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)- Case Report
Introduction. Spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases of genetic background the the child’s age. Regardless of the form, it is essential to draw up a suitable nursing care plan th...
Analysis of University of California in San Francisco (UCSF) Symptom Management Theory and Theory Implication for Persons with Neurological Disorders/Diseases
Introduction. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2015 neurological disorders accounted for 12% of total deaths worldwide. Presented data demonstrates that neurological neuropsychiatric disorders (NND) c...
Impact of the Brain Tumor Location on Functional Capacity of the of Patient
Introduction. The vast majority of lesions of the nervous system are located intra cranially. Their location in each brain structure results in the appearance of different deficits affecting the functional capacity of pa...
Nursing Problems of the Patient after Craniocerebral Trauma — Case Report
Introduction. Cranial and cerebral injuries are an opened or closed brain damage coming into existence as a result of a short-lived mechanical factor affecting the skull. They constitute the most frequent cause of deaths...
Factors Determining Night Rest and the Quality of Nursing Care for a Patient in a Neurological Ward
Introduction. The duration of hospitalization in a neurological ward depends on the medical diagnosis and the patient’s state of health. Because of the variety of symptoms from the nervous system, nurse practitioners pro...