What is a nursing diagnosis?

A nursing diagnosis is fundamentally defined as a clinical judgment about an individual's health responses to actual or potential health problems, which encompasses both physiological and psychosocial aspects of care. This diagnosis is formed through the assessment of the patient’s condition, symptoms, and their implications for the individual’s well-being.

Nursing diagnoses focus specifically on the patient's lived experiences and are intended to guide care and interventions tailored to meet their unique needs. By identifying these responses, nurses can create personalized care plans aimed at enhancing patient outcomes and facilitating recovery or effective management of chronic conditions.

In contrast, other choices refer to concepts that fall outside the realm of nursing diagnosis. For example, a medical condition diagnosed by physicians pertains to medical diagnoses that focus on identifying specific diseases, while a patient’s understanding of their condition represents their perspective and awareness, which is not the same as a professional judgment about health responses. Lastly, a summary of treatment options provides an overview of actions to take but does not assess the patient's individual health responses, which is central to establishing a nursing diagnosis.