Web
Comprehensive Guide to Nursing Diagnoses and Care Planning
Nursing diagnoses are integral components developed during health assessments, serving as foundational elements for delivering patient-centered nursing care. Essentially, a nursing diagnosis offers a structured statement regarding an individual’s (or group’s) health status, symptoms, or reactions to certain conditions such as disease processes.
The concept of nursing diagnosis has emerged as part of a broader movement aimed at standardizing the language used in the nursing profession. This effort encompasses uniform descriptions of procedures, outcomes, and diagnostic terms. Proponents argue that standardized terminology can enhance the scientific and evidence-based nature of nursing practice. Conversely, some nurses criticize this approach as overly theoretical and not particularly useful in practical care planning or distinguishing nursing from medical practice.
The Role of NANDA International
NANDA International (formerly known as the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association), established in 1982, plays a pivotal role in standardizing nursing terminology. It focuses on developing classification systems and taxonomies for nursing diagnoses to reflect diverse healthcare settings globally. In 2002, reflecting its expanding global reach, it rebranded to NANDA-International.
This organization is committed to enhancing the visibility of nurses’ contributions to patient care by continuously developing and refining terms relevant to nurses worldwide. Essentially, they create a taxonomy that serves as an intellectual framework for formulating accurate nursing diagnoses.
Categories within NANDA’s Framework
- Actual Diagnosis: A declaration about an existing health issue that benefits from targeted nursing interventions;
- Risk Diagnosis: Identifies potential problems that may develop based on specific risk factors;
- Possible Diagnosis: Suggests potential issues needing more information before confirmation;
- Syndrome Diagnosis: Used when multiple related diagnoses appear concurrently; and
- Health Promotion Diagnosis: Focuses on aspects indicating high levels of wellness requiring enhancement strategies.
An Example Explained
A common example is “Acute Pain related to surgical incision,” characterized by protective behaviors like grimacing or muscle tension along with subjective reports rating pain intensity on a scale from zero to ten.
Nursing diagnosis stands out as an influential clinical initiative acknowledged globally for its crucial role in crafting tailored care plans through systematic assessment processes.
