In the nursing process, which focus best describes a nursing diagnosis?

• A. They focus on the nurse's personal goals
• B. They focus on the physician's orders
• C. They focus on hospital policies
• D. They focus on the patient's needs

Answer: (D)

The focus of a nursing diagnosis is the patient’s needs. It identifies actual or potential health problems that nursing care can address, based on data collected from the patient’s symptoms, functioning, and experiences. This patient-centered lens guides independent nursing actions and expected outcomes, rather than medical decisions or institutional rules.

Focusing on the patient’s needs means the diagnosis describes how the patient is affected by a health issue and what nursing interventions can help, such as relieving pain, promoting safety, or improving mobility. It’s not about following physician orders, adhering to hospital policies, or pursuing the nurse’s own goals.

For example, a nursing diagnosis might address pain or impaired mobility as problems that nurses can directly manage, guiding the plan of care and evaluations.