NURSING DIAGNOSIS “RISK FOR ACUTE PAIN”: VALIDITY OF THE DEFINITION AND RISK FACTORS

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objective: To validate the content of the definition and risk factors for nursing diagnosis “Risk for Acute Pain” in adults. Method: This methodological content validity study was conducted in Brazil between November and December 2024 and included 54 nurse experts with clinical, teaching, and research experience related to acute pain. An electronic questionnaire was used to collect data on the relevance, clarity, and precision of the definition and eight risk factors for acute pain, which were assessed using a Likert scale. For calculation of the Content Validity Index (CVI), agreement ≥0.80 was considered acceptable, and qualitative suggestions were collected for semantic refinement. Results: The definition and most risk factors showed high CVI values, indicating relevance and expert consensus. Experts’ suggestions regarding the wording of the diagnostic definition enabled the inclusion of the well-being dimension. Conclusion: The content validity of nursing diagnosis “Risk for Acute Pain” demonstrated the adequacy of the proposed definition and risk factors. Recognizing and incorporating these risk factors into the diagnostic process fills an important gap in clinical practice by strengthening clinical reasoning and supporting the selection of preventive interventions to prevent or reduce pain associated with nursing care. Adoption of this diagnosis is expected to improve health outcomes, patient safety, quality of care, and individual well-being, particularly before potentially painful nursing care procedures.