Clinical Validity of the Nursing Diagnoses Impaired Gas Exchange (00030) and Ineffective Breathing Pattern (00032) in Post‐COVID‐19 Individuals

Purpose: To examine the clinical construct validity and specific causal validity of the nursing diagnoses of impaired gas exchange (00030) and ineffective breathing pattern (00032) in post‐COVID‐19 individuals. Methods: A correlational and cross‐sectional study was conducted. A total sample of 199 individuals with a previous COVID‐19 diagnosis, aged 18 years or older, was recruited. Participants attended consultations at two health units in Hidalgo, Mexico, between February and March 2022. After obtaining informed consent, the presence of the nursing diagnoses under study was assessed using checklists developed based on the defining characteristics and related factors described in the NANDA‐I classification. These checklists were validated by a panel of experts. Findings: The mean age of participants was 35.76 ± 15 years; 56.3% were female, and 21.6% had at least one comorbidity. Additionally, 36.7% reported engaging in light physical activity, and the mean time elapsed since the COVID‐19 diagnosis was 6.31 ± 5.6 months. Overall, 49.7% of participants were observed to have impaired gas exchange (00030), and 74.4% presented with ineffective breathing pattern (00032). Impaired gas exchange (00030) was associated with alterations in breathing depth (rho = 0.632), alterations in breathing rate (rho = 0.562), and ineffective breathing pattern (rho = 0.666). Meanwhile, ineffective breathing pattern (00032) was associated with hypoxia (rho = 0.367), decreased inspiratory pressure (rho = 0.350), and anxiety (rho = 0.611). Conclusions: Impaired gas exchange (00030) and ineffective breathing pattern (00032) demonstrate clinical construct validity and specific causal validity in post‐COVID‐19 individuals. Implications for Nursing Practice: Clinical validation enables the identification of populations to which the diagnoses can be applied, providing initial profiles of the diagnostic components in post‐COVID‐19 individuals. It also identifies statistically significant related factors and defining characteristics, contributing to more precise and evidence‐based nursing interventions.