Adaptation to the Portuguese language and validation of the Lunney Scoring Method for Rating Accuracy of Nursing Diagnoses

Abstract

The Lunney Scoring Method for Rating Accuracy of Nursing Diagnoses (LSM) is a semantic differential scale developed by Lunney to rate the accuracy of nursing diagnoses. The objective of this study was to adapt the LSM to the Portuguese language and to estimate its psychometric properties. The original scale was translated into Portuguese, back-translated into English, and the English versions were compared in order to adjust the Portuguese one (Escala de Acurácia de Diagnóstico de Enfermagem de Lunney - EADE). Four nurses were trained on the EADE and applied it on 159 diagnoses made for 26 patients of three primary studies, based on the records of patients' interviews and physical examinations. Cohen's Kappa estimates produced unacceptable inter-observer agreement rates, showing that the adapted tool has not acceptable reliability. Because of this result, validity tests were not conducted.