Page 295 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

262 n InTeRnaTIonaL CLaSSIFICaTIon FoR nURSInG PRaCTICe

the work of many nurses around the world, Centers. There are currently 10 accredited
resulting in the expansion of ICnP from a centers with defined organizational struc-
I set of nursing concept (alpha, beta and beta ture across the world. additionally, there is a
2 versions) to a logic-based nursing termi- major emphasis on worldwide participation
nology or ontology (ICnP 1.0, 1.1, and 2 ver- of nurses and additional partners (such as
sions). In other words, based on the concern informatics experts, researchers, and indus-
that the terminology was increasing in size try) in the development of the ICnP. Many
and complexity, a formal mechanism to orga- individual nurses and researchers, thus have
nize and maintain ICnP using Web ontology contributed to the ongoing development, test-
Language was adopted from version 1.0. ing and evaluation of ICnP. a major priority
Using Web ontology Language, which is for ICn is to encourage translations of ICnP.
underpinned by description logic, helped Translations can expand opportunities for
determine subsumption relations among nurses to participate in research and devel-
concepts and organizing ICnP in a machine- opment in their own language. Recently,
interpretable format for automated reasoning ICnP was recognized as a related member
(Hardiker & Coenen, 2007). a new version of of the World Health organization Family
ICnP will be released every 2 years in con- of International Classifications, and ICn
junction with the ICn Conference. ICn plans joined the International Health Terminology
to launch the release of the ICnP Version 3 in Standards Development organization in
2011, at the ICn Congress in Malta. an agreement to harmonize the ICnP and
ICn’s commitment to the ICnP contin- Systematized nomenclature of Medicine
ues to be strengthened. The objectives and Clinical Terms.
plans of the ICnP Program are identified ICnP research projects contribute to
and reviewed annually and organized into ongoing development and include (a) con-
three activity clusters; (a) research and devel- cept validation studies, (b) computer-based
opment, (b) maintenance and operations, and information system demonstration projects,
(c) dissemination and education (ICn, 2009). (c) evaluation studies, (d) subset development
Research and development projects are initi- projects, and (e) cross-mapping projects.
ated by ICn and by nurse and other experts evaluation studies include the degree of ICnP
worldwide. Terminology maintenance and content coverage given a specialty area and
operations is, for the most part, a set of pro- the extent to which ICnP meets terminology
cesses internal to ICn. Dissemination and requirements defined by the International
education encompass internal and exter- organization for Standardization.
nal strategies and are directed at audiences To facilitate the use of ICnP in practice,
worldwide. all the activities are intended clinically relevant subsets of ICnP nursing
to support the vision of ICn as an integral diagnoses, interventions, and outcomes are
part of the global information infrastructure being developed (Coenen & Kim, 2010). For
informing health care practice and policy to example, ICn released an ICnP subset for
improve patient care worldwide. Palliative nursing Care. In addition, a new
For the success of the ICnP Program, part- Internet site, ICNP C-Space, was launched to
nerships are a priority for the ICnP Program. facilitate collaborative work in ICnP devel-
ICn already has a strong infrastructure, opment and evaluation, along with facilitat-
including collaborative relationships with ing the dissemination of ICnP.
the member national nurses’ associations and The vision of ICnP is to have nursing
other established nursing, health care, and data readily available and used in health
governmental organizations. a new ICn ini- care systems worldwide. In addition to pro-
tiative to facilitate collaboration is the estab- moting comparable nursing data, the ICnP is
lishment of ICn Research and Development intended to facilitate a comparison of nursing