Coding System

Set of agreed upon symbols (frequently numeric or alphanumeric) attached to concept representation or terms in order to allow exchange of concept representations or terms with regard to their form or meaning (CEN ENV 12264) Examples include Perioperative Nursing Data Set, Clinical Care Classification System.

Concept

A unit of thought constituted through abstraction on the basis of properties common to a set of objects. (ISO 1087)

Concept Representation System

A set of concepts represented by formal symbols in order to facilitate expression, delimitation, and manipulation (e.g., formal classification, controlled generation, and translation to and from natural language) by computer (CEN ENV 12264) Examples include SNOMED Reference Terminology (SNOMED RT).

Controlled Vocabulary

Terminological dictionary containing (and restricted to) the terminology of a specific subject field or of related subject fields and based on terminologic work. (ISO 1087/CEN ENV 12264) For example, the terms used on a multidisciplinary problem list.

Database

A collection of inter-related data often with controlled redundancy, organized according to a scheme to serve one or more applications; the data are stored so that they can be used by several programs without concern for data structures or organization. (ANSI X3-172/ISO 11179-1) Examples include The National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI).

Data Element

A unit of data for which the definition, identification, representation and permissible values are specified by means of a set of attributes. (ISO 11179-1) A data set is a defined collection of data elements, e.g., “ nursing diagnosis” is a data element in the Nursing Minimum Data Set.

Data Set

A collection of data elements.

Disjunctive

A taxonomy in which an entity has only one parent, while a parent can have many children.

Granularity

The depth of detail that a language system collects is its granularity. The question, then becomes, how much depth is needed for the purpose of the data collection. Different purposes require different levels of granularity.

Language

A set of characters, conventions and rules for conveying information. (ANSI X3-172) Examples include English, Spanish, HTML, XML.

Mapping

Identifying synonyms in the various languages, e.g. a North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA) term of alteration in comfort will map to pain in the International Classification of Nursing Practice (ICNP). Nursing terms from NANDA, NIC, NOC, CCC, PNDS, And Omaha are mapped to concepts in SNOMED.

Minimum Data Set

The minimum categories of data with uniform definitions and categories, concerning a specific aspect or dimension of the health care system which meets the basic needs of multiple data users. Example: nursing minimum data set.

Mono-axial taxonomy

Classification around one concept.

Mult-axial taxonomy

A classification that combines more than one mono-axial taxonomies to permit the creation of a term using selections from more than one axis.

Nomenclature

A system of designations (terms) elaborated according to pre-established rules. (ISO 1087). Examples include SNOMED CT International and the International Classification for Nursing Practice.

Nosology

The science of the development of diseases, has been used to describe the development of healthcare languages.

Object

Any part of the perceivable or conceivable world (ISO 1087).

Standardized Language (terminology)

A collection of terms with definitions for use in informational systems databases. They enable comparisons to be made because the same term is used to denote the same condition. Their development requires a great deal of work and testing. They are necessary for documentation in electronic health records.

Taxonomy

The systematic ordering, distinguishing and naming of type groups within a subject field according to presumed natural relationships. (ISO 11179-1)Examples include Nursing Outcomes Classification, Clinical Care Classification, and biology plant taxonomy.

Term

Designation of a defined concept in a special language by a linguistic expression (ISO 1087).

Terminology The set of terms representing a system of concepts. Examples include nursing interventions, classifications, physicians current procedural terminology. (ISO 1087)

Thesaurus

The vocabulary of a controlled indexing language, formerly organized so that a priori relationships between concepts (e.g. ‘broader’ and ‘narrower’) are made explicit. Examples include Medical Subject Heading (MESH) terms. (ISO 2788)

Unified Nursing Language

A system resulting from mapping terms among multiple nursing vocabularies and classification schemes.

Uniform Nursing Language

A single system with a set of characters, conventions, and rules for conveying information about nursing practice.

Vocabulary

Terms from a subject field and their definitions. (ISO 1087)