Published Oct 27, 2004
Mizzyfrufru, LPN
97 Posts
in laymans terms, what is a nursing diagnosis? In reference to the nursing process? I'm having difficulty with this info....thanks.
nursingstudent2006
5 Posts
I just learned nursing diagnosis, and they way I understood them is that they are diagnoses that nurses came make after your assessment of your patient. Such as if they have just been diagnosed with cancer, they are at risk for deficit knowledge, then what you can do as a nurse to help them, your nursing interventions, so in this case educate them on their new diagnosis, and make goals for them to reach. I don't know if that helped any. But I guess that is how I understood it
nursemaa
259 Posts
A nursing diagnosis is basically the problems identified during assessment that the nurse will help the patient to deal with. They may be physical, such as alteration in skin integrity, or psych, such as ineffective coping. Most nursing diagnosis are dealt with by nursing interventions rather than medical orders, although there may be interventions that are interdependent, such as using certain products (medications) for pressure ulcer treatments. They usually relate in some way to the admitting medical diagnosis, such as: patients admitted with COPD as their medical diagnosis may have alteration in breathing patterns as one of their nursing diagnosis. Interventions would include oxygen (requires physician order), pacing activities throughout the day (nursing order), auscultating lung sounds frequently (nursing order), respiratory treatments (physician order), cough and deep breathing exercises (nursing order)- get the idea? Hope this helps. It's very useful for students to learn to identify what the patient's primary problems are, and how nursing can assist the patient to cope with or overcome them. It also helps you learn to prioritize patient care needs, focusing on the most important problems. :)
alanpe
84 Posts
Can you provide more information and some website?
Alanpe
But cancer is just been diagnosed with analysis, X ray and other methods so cancer can be considered as nurse and medical diagnosis though the treatment is different:
Nurses try with psychologist aspects, treatments, shuts.
Medical try with psychodrugs presciptions, presciptions, others.
Could you explain a little more your answer? today technology plays a more important role than ever.
Thanks.
rngreenhorn
317 Posts
I don't know about everyone else, but I learned about nursing dx the first week of nursing school...
I've seen many posts asking what a nursing dx is...
So, just what are they teaching at other schools?
Maybe these posts are not coming from nursing students... or nurses.
But cancer is just been diagnosed with analysis, X ray and other methods so cancer can be considered as nurse and medical diagnosis though the treatment is different:Nurses try with psychologist aspects, treatments, shuts.Medical try with psychodrugs presciptions, presciptions, others.Could you explain a little more your answer? today technology plays a more important role than ever. Thanks.
I'm not sure what you're getting at with this. Examples of medical diagnosis would be: cancer, COPD, pneumonia, CHF, etc. Nursing diagnosis describes whatever associated problems the patient has that the nurse will assist them to either learn to live with, or to solve. Examples of nursing diagnosis would be: Alteration in breathing patterns (SOB), Alteration in comfort (pain), Inability to cope with the changes that the disease brings on, Altered tissue perfusion, etc. The nursing diagnosis is the problem(s) that the disease process causes. The medical diagnosis is the disease itself. Technology is just that- machines/devices that assist with either diagnosing the disease (xray machines, lab machines, MRI, CT, etc) or that assist the nurse to provide care (IV pumps, PCA pumps, computers, vital sign monitors, etc). Both disciplines use technology in their practice. I don't know how much simpler I can make it for you. Are you a nurse or a nursing student? Or just someone who's curious?
purplemania, BSN, RN
2,617 Posts
Care plans
http://www.rncentral.com
http://www.careplans.com
http://www.nursing.about.com/health/msubplans.htm
These might help you some. One important tip: do not confuse medical and nursing diagnoses. If the patient has a medical dx of pneumonia, the nursing dx might be ineffective gas exchange. The nurse diagnoses only regarding what the nurse is able to intervene. Since we cannot (in most cases) order chest x-rays and medication, we do not dx pneumonia. But we are able to do pulmonary toilet, raise head of bed, and follow MD orders or protocols regarding breathing tx, etc. to assist the patient in gas exchange.