The purpose of this study was to elaborate and validate data collection instruments in order to identify nursing diagnosis in adult patients in the perioperative period of a cardiac surgery. The data collection instruments proposed were based on Wanda Horta's conceptual model. The elaboration of the instruments was based on a literature review with the aim to find important signs and symptoms that could characterize nursing diagnosis. For the validation of the data collection instruments, authors elaborated a survey that was validated by five nurses. All the professionals who were asked to validate it answered that the instruments helped in the identification of the nursing diagnosis and that the data or questions were enough to identify changes in basic needs.
data collection; nursing diagnosis; cardiac surgery