Nursing Interventions Classification System (NIC) and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC)
NIC and NOC Latest Update via UMLS NIC- 2008
NOC- 2008 Original Publications NIC- 1992
NOC- 1997
NIC and NOC were initially developed through funding from the National Institutes of Health by research teams at the University of Iowa. The Center for Nursing Classification and Clinical Effectiveness (CNC), housed within the University of Iowa College of Nursing, supports the ongoing research and development of NIC and NOC. These terminologies are comprehensive, research-based and standardized classifications of nursing interventions and nursing-sensitive patient outcomes. The use of NIC and NOC provides terms for documenting nursing care, including:
Communicating nursing care across settings; Evaluating outcomes; Conducting effectiveness research; Measuring nursing productivity; Evaluating nursing competencies; Facilitating reimbursement; and Designing curriculum.
Process for Updating/Publishing Standard NIC and NOC were originally updated on a four-year cycle, but now that the terminology has matured, they are moving to a five-year cycle. NIC and NOC are published and copyrighted by Elsevier, which provides the resources and the contacts to protect the copyright, produce the book, maintain the
Identifying Challenges and Opportunities within Standard Nursing Terminologies 16
electronic version of the terminologies and market them. Copyright is especially important with a standardized language where alteration of terms will impede the goal of communication among nurses across specialties and between delivery sites (Dochterman & Bulechek, 2004).
Usage/Activity Practicing nurses use the terminologies in various clinical settings – from acute care hospitals, outpatient, and ambulatory settings to rehabilitation and long-term care facilities. Elsevier provides NIC and NOC licensing and implementation support to software developers and agencies. Fifteen licensed software developers have integrated NIC and NOC into electronic nursing care systems, and several of the largest EHR software developers offer it as part of their EHR products.
Challenges The licensing process for NIC and NOC is required and complex. Large shares of licensing come through vendor distribution, making it difficult to accurately quantify user numbers and differentiate between implemented licenses versus purchased licenses.
The inability to quantify user numbers and differentiate implementations also presents the challenge of ensuring correct implementation of the terminology. NIC and NOC have a labeled series of discrete, customizable language. It is important that intervention labels, or names, and the definitions of each label remain unaltered during implementation. If the terminology is altered, it can be difficult to normalize the data for system interoperability and comparative research.
Opportunities NANDA–I, NIC and NOC have linkages created that helps in the usage of the three terminologies (NNN Fact Sheet, 2016). In educational settings, NIC and NOC are often taught in conjunction with NANDA–I.