Chapter 17

Question 1

What is a nursing diagnosis?

Answer 1

A clinical judgement concerning a human response to health conditions/life processes, or vulnerability for that response by an individual, family, or community that a nurse is licensed and competent to treat

Question 2

Nursing diagnosis vs. medical diagnosis

Answer 2

• A medical diagnosis is the identification of a disease condition
• Medical diagnosis stays constant while nursing diagnoses are ever changing on the basis of a patients needs

Question 3

What are the 3 types of nursing diagnoses?

Answer 3

1. Problem-focused
   - Health conditions and life processes
2. Risk
   - Vulnerability to health conditions and life processes
3. Health promotion
   - Patients motivation and desire to increase well-being and actualize human health potential

Question 4

Why does a nurse create a nursing diagnosis?

Answer 4

• Universal means for communication among professional nurses and across other health care disciplines
• Direct the planning process and the selection of nursing interventions to achieve desired outcomes