A nursing diagnosis describes what?

• A. The physician's treatment plan
• B. The human response to an illness or health condition
• C. The specific disease pathology
• D. The patient's genetic risk

Answer: (B)

A nursing diagnosis describes the human response to an illness or health condition, focusing on how the condition affects the patient and what the nurse can address with independent care. It includes actual problems the patient is experiencing and potential problems they are at risk for, guiding the care plan, expected outcomes, and interventions. This differs from a physician’s treatment plan, which targets the disease process and medical management, and from the specific disease pathology, which is the medical diagnosis. It also isn’t just about genetic risk; genetics can influence risk, but a nursing diagnosis centers on the patient’s current or anticipateable responses that nursing care can influence.