Purpose: To analyze the frequency of the nursing diagnosis disturbed thought processes (DTP) (00130) in a sample of psychiatric and psychogeriatric patients in medium- and long-term units and to describe those factors associated with its presence.
Methods: A secondary analysis of the data obtained in a multicentric and cross-sectional study developed in Spain was undertaken.
Findings: The total sample was 624 patients, from which 39.4% (n = 246) had the nursing diagnosis DTP. A statistically significant relationship between the presence of DTP and different variables was found.
Conclusions: The nursing diagnosis DTP is very frequent among psychiatric and psychogeriatric institutionalized patients.
Implications for nursing practice: Patients with DTP may require a more complex nursing attention as its presence is associated with specific care needs.
Keywords: Disturbed thought processes; mental health; nursing diagnoses; psychiatric nursing.
© 2015 NANDA International, Inc.