OBJECTIVE: To validate the content defining characteristics of the currently approved and of those identified through reviewing the literature, for the nursing diagnosis: decreased cardiac output. METHODS: Is a content validation study using the model proposed by Fehring. The defining characteristics were validated by 18 experts (eight doctors and ten nurses), using the five points Likert scale and according to the following classification: scores higher than 0.80 were considered as the main features; those with weight between 0, 50 and 0.79 as secondary; and, those with average less than or equal to 0.50 as irrelevant. RESULTS: Of 79 defining characteristics investigated, 38 (48.1%) were validated, among which 17 were present in NANDA-I, and 41 (51.9%) were considered as irrelevant to this diagnosis, of these, eight are listed in NANDA-I. CONCLUSION: The defining characteristics currently listed in the NANDA-I classification taxonomy do not completely cover the nursing diagnosis: decreased cardiac output.
Validation studies; Nursing diagnosis; Cardiac output
