The Human Responses and Nursing Diagnoses of Those Living With Infertility: A Qualitative Systematic Review

Int J Nurs Knowl. 2019 Jul;30(3):173-189. doi: 10.1111/2047-3095.12223. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Abstract

Objective: To systematically retrieve, critique, and synthesize patients' human responses about living with infertility and identify possible related nursing diagnoses according to NANDA-I.

Methods: Systematic review of qualitative nursing studies.

Findings: A total of 39 papers were included, 49 human responses, and 77 potential infertility-related nursing diagnoses were identified across three themes. Main foci matching nursing diagnosis were related to spiritual well-being, spiritual distress, and resilience.

Conclusions: Patients respond to infertility in a variety of ways and this raises the need for a more effective, holistic, and accurate nursing diagnosis.

Implications for practice: The accuracy of the nursing diagnosis is critical in raising the quality of the nursing process and in meeting infertile patients' circumstances and care expectations.

Keywords: Infertility; nursing diagnosis; review; standardized nursing terminology.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infertility / diagnosis*
  • Infertility / nursing*
  • Male
  • Nursing Diagnosis*