Registered nurses are an essential part of patient care.
They are generally the first and last line of communication between doctors and their patients.
For physicians to do their job correctly, they must first rely on information from the nurses on staff.
A medical diagnosis is only one part of a patient’s complex medical information.
It’s why a nursing diagnosis is necessary.
What Is Nursing Diagnosis?
A nursing diagnosis is a conclusion based on information gathered by a patient’s nurse.
It includes personal information about the patient, their family, environment, and their responses to these things.
It is much different from a medical diagnosis given by the physician.
Nurses conduct an extensive health assessment on patients to develop a nursing diagnosis.
There are four recognized categories within a standard nursing diagnosis.
The first and most apparent is the actual diagnosis.
It’s the medical conclusion based on comprehensive information. Next, there is a risk diagnosis.
A risk diagnosis indicates any additional health concerns stemming from the diagnosis.
Then, there is the health promotion category.
It determines the likelihood of a patient’s willingness to make healthier decisions.
Finally, there is the syndrome category.
It’s based on a reoccurrence of similar nursing diagnoses from other visits.
Nursing Diagnosis List
The nursing diagnosis list contains information to help nurses identify a potential medical ailment/condition within a patient.
As a result, a proper assessment can help the patient recover from their medical condition.
The nursing diagnosis list allows nurses to identify abnormal neurological, psychological, emotional, and physiological symptoms.
It further probes for information that may lead to identifying the cause of the patient’s condition.
As a result, medical professionals can provide proper treatment.
As stated earlier, this list helps doctors and physicians make quick and vital decisions addressing their patients’ health care.
The nursing diagnosis list is also used for educational purposes to help nurses understand their job roles and develop confidence in taking care of their patients.
NANDA International
NANDA International is an organization that promotes and defines the standards for nursing diagnoses.
A group of highly qualified and experienced nurses operates NANDA international.
As a result, the organization is internationally respected.
They believe a nursing diagnosis displays a competent level of education and experience.
In the past, nurses have expressed feelings of inadequacy and under-appreciation.
NANDA strives to bridge the gap between doctors and nurses.
For almost 40 years, this group has worked to make NANDA an exceptional level of importance.
Accordingly, the result of this organization is a better quality of care for patients.
How a Nursing Diagnosis Affects the Patient
Many people benefit from an accurate and thorough nursing diagnosis.
Physicians generally have several patients under their care at any given moment.
No matter how pleasant their bedside manner, they do not have the time to collect all the information pertinent to your health.
They may not be aware of important factors, such as your living environment, lifestyle habits, stress level, sleep cycles, and diet.
The facts from an extensive nursing assessment could save your life.
For example, your primary doctor may diagnose you with asthma based on your immediate symptoms and test results.
However, the information from the assessment-based nursing diagnosis concerning the family history of respiratory problems helps the doctor confirm their diagnosis.
Every hospital, specialty, and doctor’s office relies on the competence and skill of its nurses.
They are necessary for doctors to provide the highest standard of care.
While you respect your doctor, nurses spend more time with the patient than anyone else.
So, everyone must be sincere and open with these professionals to ensure they receive proper medical treatment for their health conditions.
For more information on Nanda and its list, check out Nanda International.