1st semester student

Medical diagnosis is a disease. A nursing diagnosis would be a human reaction to the disease.

For example: Asthma would be a medical diagnosis. Patient needs inhaler to breathe would be a nursing diagnosis.

Also, medical diagnosis would remain the same as long as the disease exists. A fever (medical diagnosis) would be a fever till it's over. However, a nursing diagnosis could change as symptoms appear or subside, such as patient has high temperature, patient is sweating profusely.. of course the official terms for specific nursing diagnosis are on NANDA.

Hope that helped and didn't confuse you further.

The way I keep it straight is this: The medical diagnosis is something a licensed physician, NP, or PA uses to label a person's disease. A nursing diagnosis identifies those things that can be improved in a non-medical way to help the patient heal or improve that medical diagnosis.

So we ask ourselves, "What can I help improve for this individual that is suffering XYZ medical diagnosis?"

Medical Diagnosis: Broken Leg

Nursing Diagnosis: Acute pain related to broken leg as evidenced by patient crying and stating they are in pain

Medical Diagnosis: Major Depression Disorder

Nursing Diagnosis: Slef care deficit related to depression as evidenced by patient stating "It doesn't matter if I shower. There is no point anyway."

Medical Diagnosis: Diabetes

Nursing Diagnosis: Deficient fluid volume related to hyperglycemia as evidenced by polyuria.

It can be confusing for a while. I highly recommend finding a NANDA website or purchasing a NANDA book.