Comparison of Medical Diagnoses
   and Nursing Diagnoses
       Medical Diagnosis                     Nursing Diagnosis
   Focuses on the illness, injury, or     Focuses on the responses to  
   disease process.                       actual or potential health 
                                          problems or life processes.
   Remains constant until a cure is       Changes as the client’s response 
   effected.                              and/or the health problem 
                                          changes.
   Identifies conditions the health       Identifies situations in which the 
   care practitioner is licensed and      nurse is licensed and qualified to 
   qualified to treat.                    intervene.
   THE STEPS IN THE NURSING PROCESS
                        Outcome identification
    Assessment Techniques
 • The four assessment techniques 
  used in physical examination are 
  inspection, palpation, 
  percussion, and auscultation.
   THE STEPS IN THE NURSING PROCESS
                        Outcome identification
    Types of Nursing Diagnoses
 Analysis of the collected data leads the nurse to 
 make a diagnosis in one of the following categories:
 • Actual problems
 • Potential problems (including those where risk 
 factors exist and there are possible problems)
 • Wellness conditions
 • Collaborative problems