The International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP® ) is a classification system that aims at an universal standardized language for nursing. This article aims to discuss the results of studies addressing ICNP® . This is a review of the literature in the database of the Virtual Health Library, by the term "ICNP" with coverage until 2009. 124 articles were found; 65 were analyzed, and their contents were grouped in nine categories: general approaches; applicability in practice; assessment ratings; experiments with computational resources; development and inclusion of terms; approach to classification systems; use to anchor the building of nursing statements; translations; and others. It was found that few studies present projects or evaluate the practical applications of ICNP® . The majority discusses conceptual issues or compare ICNP® with other classification systems. Several studies conclude about the appropriateness and relevance of ICNP® , despite pointing a need for improvement.
Nursing process; Classification; Professional practice
