A new international collaboration focused on strengthening nursing knowledge through clinical data, informatics, and diagnosis-centered research
The International Nursing Knowledge Association, INKA (formerly NANDA® International), is proud to announce a new academic partnership with Ordine delle Professioni Infermieristiche di ROMA (OPI-Roma), establishing a collaborative initiative dedicated to advancing nursing knowledge through the integration of clinical data, nursing informatics, and research.
This partnership represents a significant step forward in strengthening the visibility, structure, and application of nursing knowledge within modern healthcare systems. Together, INKA and OPI-Roma will work to support the integration of standardized nursing classifications into electronic health record (EHR) systems while advancing diagnosis-centered nursing research grounded in real-world clinical practice.
A Shared Vision for Nursing Knowledge
The partnership centers on the development of the INKA Nursing Classification Research Center, within The Center of Excellence for Nursing Culture and Research (CECRI), a collaborative initiative designed to strengthen the role of nursing data and informatics in improving patient care and advancing nursing science.
Key areas of focus include:
- Advancing nursing knowledge through the use of clinical data
- Supporting the integration of standardized nursing classifications in practice and research
- Promoting nursing informatics to strengthen clinical decision-making
- Improving the visibility and measurement of nursing’s contribution to patient outcomes
As healthcare systems increasingly rely on data-driven models of care, this partnership reflects the growing need for nursing knowledge to be structured, retrievable, measurable, and actionable within digital environments.
Building Research Through Clinical Data
At the core of the initiative is a collaborative research and informatics program focused on leveraging electronic health record data to support nursing research and knowledge development.
Areas of collaboration will include:
- Use of EHR data to support clinical research
- Validation and refinement of nursing diagnoses and classifications
- Integration of standardized nursing language into clinical systems
- Development of evidence demonstrating nursing’s impact on patient outcomes
The partnership also supports educational and scholarly collaboration through online programs, conferences, and opportunities for doctoral and post-doctoral engagement and international research exchange.
Leadership and Coordination
As part of this new initiative, Dr. Fabio D’Agostino, INKA Treasurer/Secretary and Associate Professor at the Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences, will serve as the Director for the new center and partnership activities.
“ I am very honored to be part of this initiative and to contribute to the development of a strong international network dedicated to advancing nursing science and clinical practice. In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, standardized nursing data are essential, and this center can become a key driver for their effective use within digital health systems.” Dr. D’Agostino
D’Agostino will help guide the strategic development of the INKA Nursing Classification Center and support international collaboration across research, informatics, and clinical nursing practice.
Strengthening Global Collaboration
The OPI-Roma partnership will work in coordination with INKA’s broader international network of academic and research collaborations, including the Dr. Marjory Gordon Program at Boston College. This integrated approach supports cross-center collaboration, shared research initiatives, and the development of global expertise in nursing knowledge and informatics.
Dr. T. Heather Herdman, CEO of INKA, emphasized the importance of the collaboration in advancing nursing knowledge globally.
“It is a pleasure to be here in Rome with Dr. Miriam Rodriguez-Monforte, our President elect, to formally establish this new Academic Partnership for INKA – something we have been working toward for quite a while now. This is an extension of an agreement we forged earlier with OPI-Roma to conduct research related to NANDA nursing diagnoses; we will now be able to build on that and introduce NANDA 360, ensuring robust research on the complete classification. This partnership enables us to live our vision of strengthening global nursing science – advancing nursing knowledge – through international collaborations.“ Dr. Herdman
Continuing INKA’s Global Mission
Through this partnership, INKA continues its mission of defining, applying, and advancing assessment-driven, diagnosis-centered nursing knowledge across practice, research, and healthcare systems worldwide. By connecting academic scholarship with clinical data and informatics, the collaboration with OPI-Roma strengthens international efforts to improve nursing visibility, research capacity, and patient outcomes.
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