A nursing intervention is

• A. Any treatment performed by a nurse to enhance patient outcomes; there are nurse-initiated, physician-initiated, and collaborative interventions
• B. Only medications
• C. Diagnoses
• D. Tasks ordered by a physician

Answer: (A)

Nursing interventions are actions that nurses take to promote patient outcomes. These actions can be independent (nurse-initiated) and do not require a physician’s order, dependent (physician-initiated) when an order is needed, or collaborative when care is carried out with other health professionals.

Examples help anchor the idea: independent interventions include patient education, turning and repositioning to prevent pressure injuries, providing comfort measures, and basic nursing care. Dependent interventions are tasks that require a physician’s order, such as administering prescribed medications or performing specific procedures. Collaborative interventions involve coordinated care with other team members, like working with physical therapy on mobility or with a dietitian on nutrition.

The other options limit what interventions encompass: medications are just one type of intervention; nursing diagnoses are statements about patient health status, not actions; and tasks ordered by a physician fall under dependent interventions, not the full range of nursing-initiated or collaborative actions.