ABSTRACT

Objective:

to identify the defining characteristics of Ineffective airway clearance with better predictive power using classification trees.

Method:

the predictive power of the defining characteristics of Ineffective airway clearance was evaluated based on classification trees generated from the data of 249 children with acute respiratory infection.

Results:

Ineffective cough and adventitious breath sounds were identified as the main defining characteristics when screening for Ineffective airway clearance in accordance with trees based on three different computational algorithms.

Conclusion:

Ineffective coughing and adventitious breath sounds had better predictive capacity for Ineffective airway clearance in the sample.

Descriptors:
Nursing; Pediatric Nursing; Nursing Diagnosis; Respiratory Sign and Symptom; Children