A nursing student is learning the application of the nursing process to client care. When questioned by the student about the reason for implementing a nursing diagnosis, the nursing professor responds: "The nursing diagnosis statement:

Question

1. "Describes client problems that nurses are licensed to treat."
2. "Helps other health care professionals understand the plan of care."
3. "Includes the disease the client has during the treatment of care."
4. "Helps standardize care for all clients."

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The domain of nursing diagnoses includes only those health states that nurses are educated and licensed to treat. A nursing diagnosis is a judgment made only after data collection. Nursing diagnoses describe a continuum of health states: deviations from health, presence of risk factors, and areas of enhanced personal growth.
Rationale 2: A nursing diagnosis while familial to other healthcare professionals, is nursing focused.
Rationale 3: The nursing diagnosis statement is specific to nursing and nurses and does not include the medical diagnosis..
Rationale 4: The nursing diagnosis, like the plan of care, is specific to each individual client and the client's situation.