RESUMO
PURPOSE: Validate the outcomes from the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) for the Acute Pain nursing diagnosis. METHODS: The content validation of the seven NOC outcomes and their respective indicators was performed using an adaptation of Fehring's model and was analyzed by descriptive statistics. FINDINGS: Six were classified as critical and one was classified as supplemental. From the total of 118 indicators, 103 were validated. Of these, 27 were classified as critical and 76 as supplemental. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the NOC is a viable alternative for the assessment and identification of best practices in nursing care. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Validation studies of nursing classifications corroborate the use of the component elements of these instruments in a variety of care settings.