Which statement best describes a nursing diagnosis?

• A. The disease condition identified by physician
• B. The patient's medication regimen
• C. The clinical judgment by a nurse about a patient’s health problem
• D. The family’s medical history

Answer: (C)

A nursing diagnosis is the nurse’s clinical judgment about a patient’s health problem that can be addressed with nursing care. It focuses on how the patient is affected and what nursing actions can relieve or manage the problem, guiding the care plan. This is different from a physician’s medical diagnosis, which identifies a disease condition. It’s not the patient’s medication regimen, which lists drugs to be given, and not the family’s medical history, which is background information. This is why describing a nursing diagnosis as the nurse’s clinical judgment about a patient’s health problem is the best choice.