The NNN Formalization: Review and Development of Guideline Specification in the Care Domain

This technical report describes a formalization for nursing knowledge found in the NANDA, NIC and NOC (NNN for short) standards. Data about nursing diagnoses and treatments consists of the following three NNN knowledge sources that are widely accepted and used in the field of care [1], i.e., NANDA1 containing all basic information about the diagnoses, the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) containing all treatments which can be executed for improving the patients condition, and the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) containing all nursing outcomes which can be reached after a therapy. Based on the NNN knowledge, our overall goal is to enable the guideline-driven process development and adaptation in the care domain. Within the ACaPlan2 project, we work closely together with experts from the care domain. This paper contributes a first step towards this goal by providing a formalization method for the NNN knowledge sources in such a way that this information can be directly utilized for creation and adaptation of individual patient treatment processes. The central aspects of designing a corresponding formalization are as follows: Methodologically, we first analyze which information of the NNN knowledge sources has to be included in the formalization based on studying NNN documentation and discussions with experts from the care domain resulting in the NNN taxonomy (contribution 1). Then we will evaluate existing standards, primarily from the medical domain, i.e., GLIF [2], Asbru [3], and ARDEN Syntax [4], with respect to their support for the NNN taxonomy, illustrated by the use case FATIGUE. The resulting evaluation report and open issues (contribution 2) will serve as input for the design of the NNN formalization (contribution 3). The NNN formalization will be evaluated based on use case FATIGUE, results from discussing with domain experts, and possible application in other domains.