Validation of the Defi ning Characteristics of the Nursing Diagnosis Defi cient Knowledge *

Objective: Th e aim of the study was to validate the nursing diagnosis Defi cient Knowledge using a selected sample of Slovak nurses – experts, i. e. to identify which defi ning characteristics the nurses consider primary and which secondary. Methods: Fehring’s Diagnostic Content Validity Model was used to evaluate the defi ning characteristics of the nursing diagnosis Defi cient Knowledge. Results: Th e following defi ning characteristics were marked as primary: “verbalization of the problem” and “inaccurate follow-through of instruction.” Th e following defi ning characteristics were marked as secondary: “inaccurate performance of test” and “inappropriate behavior”. Th e defi ning characteristic “exaggerated behaviour” scored the weighted score of less than 0.5. Conclusion: Not all defi ning characteristics of the nursing diagnosis Defi cient Knowledge found in the NANDAInternational classifi cation system are equally signifi cant for the selected sample of Slovak nurses to identify this nursing diagnosis.