Nursing Interventions I: Taxonomy of Nursing Interventions

A nursing intervention is any treatment or action performed by a nurse based on clinical judgment and evidence-based nursing knowledge to improve patient outcomes. Nursing interventions are chosen during the planning process and are individualized according to the patient's specific situation. They are grounded in scientific concepts from nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences to achieve desired patient goals.

Nurse-initiated interventions are self-directed actions a nurse independently begins in response to a nursing diagnosis without physician supervision or orders, such as providing health education on nutritious meals. Physician-initiated interventions require a physician's order and are performed by nurses to treat a medical diagnosis, such as administering medication or inserting a Foley catheter.

Collaborative interventions require multiple healthcare providers' combined knowledge, skill, and expertise, such as nurses working with dieticians, physical therapists, or respiratory therapists. Unlike independent nursing actions, collaborative interventions depend on recommendations from other healthcare professionals and involve coordinated care planning across the interdisciplinary team.

Nursing interventions are selected during the planning phase of the nursing process, after nursing diagnoses are determined and patient goals and outcomes are specified. Identifying and prioritizing nursing interventions based on the desired outcome is essential to ensure interventions are appropriate and individualized for each patient's unique situation.

Some patients require all three types of nursing interventions: nurse-initiated, physician-initiated, and collaborative. Others may require only nurse and physician-initiated interventions. The specific combination depends on the patient's nursing diagnoses, medical diagnoses, and overall healthcare needs as determined during the planning nursing care process.

Positioning patients to prevent pressure injuries is an example of a nurse-initiated intervention. This independent action is based on scientific rationale and nursing diagnosis without requiring physician orders. Another example is informing patients about the adverse effects of medications to promote informed decision-making and patient safety.

Nurses determine interventions by first establishing nursing diagnoses, then specifying goals and outcomes, and finally selecting interventions individualized to the patient's situation. Nursing interventions are based on scientific concepts and knowledge from nursing, behavioral, and physical sciences, with prioritization guided by desired patient outcomes and the type of intervention needed.