Viewpoint: use of King's conceptual system, nursing informatics, and nursing classification systems for global communication.

PURPOSE

To propose a common nursing language for communication among members of the nursing community worldwide.

DATA SOURCES

The Taxonomy of Nursing Practice, nursing informatics literature, King's Theory of Goal Attainment applied to the nursing process.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Several milestones in nursing in the 20th century indicated the need for a universal language for nursing. The nursing process provides a method for synthesis of nursing data, information, and knowledge and is congruent with Imogene King's Theory of Goal Attainment.

CONCLUSIONS

The authors advocate for a common nursing language (nursing classification and terminology systems) that would unify nurses worldwide. Supported by nursing theory and technology, global communication would be enhanced for nurses and the interdisciplinary teams of which they are a part.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Use of Imogene King's Conceptual System and Theory of Goal Attainment and the nursing specialty of Nursing Informatics are examples of nursing theory and technology to frame global communication.