TY - JOUR
T1 - Formal nursing terminology systems
T2 - A means to an end
AU - Hardiker, Nicholas R
AU - Bakken, Suzanne
AU - Casey, Anne
AU - Hoy, Derek
PY - 2002/10
Y1 - 2002/10
N2 - In response to the need to support diverse and complex information requirements, nursing has developed a number of different terminology systems. The two main kinds of systems that have emerged are enumerative systems and combinatorial systems, although some systems have characteristics of both approaches. Differences in the structure and content of terminology systems, while useful at a local level, prevent effective wider communication, information sharing, integration of record systems, and comparison of nursing elements of healthcare information at a more global level. Formal nursing terminology systems present an alternative approach. This paper describes a number of recent initiatives and explains how these emerging approaches may help to augment existing nursing terminology systems and overcome their limitations through mediation. The development of formal nursing terminology systems is not an end in itself and there remains a great deal of work to be done before success can be claimed. This paper presents an overview of the key issues outstanding and provides recommendations for a way forward.
AB - In response to the need to support diverse and complex information requirements, nursing has developed a number of different terminology systems. The two main kinds of systems that have emerged are enumerative systems and combinatorial systems, although some systems have characteristics of both approaches. Differences in the structure and content of terminology systems, while useful at a local level, prevent effective wider communication, information sharing, integration of record systems, and comparison of nursing elements of healthcare information at a more global level. Formal nursing terminology systems present an alternative approach. This paper describes a number of recent initiatives and explains how these emerging approaches may help to augment existing nursing terminology systems and overcome their limitations through mediation. The development of formal nursing terminology systems is not an end in itself and there remains a great deal of work to be done before success can be claimed. This paper presents an overview of the key issues outstanding and provides recommendations for a way forward.
KW - Terminology systems
KW - Nursing
KW - Concept representation
U2 - 10.1016/S1532-0464(03)00002-9
DO - 10.1016/S1532-0464(03)00002-9
M3 - Article
VL - 35
SP - 298
EP - 305
JO - Journal of Biomedical Informatics
JF - Journal of Biomedical Informatics
SN - 1532-0464
IS - 5-6
ER -