JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Routinely collected nursing real-world data (RWD) offer opportunities for nursing research to generate new knowledge and to improve quality care. Furthermore, advanced analytics with nursing routine data opens the development of predictive models that support risk detection and decision support. However, using RWD in nursing remains challenging due to insufficient data standardization, variable data quality, and difficulty for organizations implementing a targeted data strategy for secondary use of nursing data. To address this gap, we developed the NuDaK nursing data strategy framework as a practical guide to enable and optimize the secondary use of routinely collected nursing documentation data.

Objective:

To evaluate the completeness and applicability of the NuDaK framework for secondary use of nursing routine data in a clinical nursing setting.

Methods:

We conducted a formative feasibility study in collaboration with a large acute care hospital in Austria. The NuDaK framework was piloted on a surgical ward and evaluated across four implementation phases. Data were collected via phase-specific workshops and project meetings, continuous self-evaluation protocols by the project lead, and a final online focus group interview. Data were analyzed using deductive qualitative content analysis regarding completeness and applicability of NuDaK. Evaluation results were aggregated and used to update NuDaK.

Results:

The four core NuDaK aspects (“Purpose & Benefits,” “Data Set & Nursing Documentation,” “Data Modelling & Software Requirements,” and “Data Integration & Data Quality”) were confirmed as conceptually complete. Based on the evaluation results, NuDaK was now updated: (i) adopting a circular structure with four temporal phases, (ii) defining interdisciplinary stakeholder involvement across phases, (iii) specifying professional roles and responsibilities across phases, and (iv) integrating an iterative nursing information model spanning dataset development, specification, and refinement. Further NuDaK additions comprise a data quality concept with operationalized dimensions and validation procedures.

Conclusions:

The NuDaK Nursing Strategy Framework was refined through real-world piloting. It now provides for organisations and research a nursing-specific, end-to-end nursing data strategy to enable systematic RWD use. While its feasibility was demonstrated in a real-world nursing setting, further implementation studies should assess transferability across heterogeneous institutions with different documentation systems, governance structures, and levels of digital maturity.