What is the connection between standardized nursing language and patient safety?
Patient safety requires that clinicians quickly grasp the priority needs of a patient. Use of language that requires a written narrative is no longer effective in today’s high acuity environment. Just as the medical discipline uses standardized language to identify patient disease states – so that all caregivers of all professions understand what is meant by a “Myocardial Infarction” (heart attack) – it is also critical that when nurses use terminology such as “activity intolerance, “all health care providers clearly understand what is meant and the appropriate plan of care. Lack of common definitions and defining characteristics (signs and symptoms) for nursing diagnosis language, leads to miscommunication and potentially, to mistreatment of patients. Standardized language ensures consistent communication and clarity – and therefore a better direction for patient care.
