The Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: A Guide to Planning Care, 11th Edition stands as an indispensable resource for nursing professionals and students alike. This comprehensive handbook offers practical guidance on utilizing nursing diagnoses to develop effective care plans, ensuring optimal patient outcomes. This updated edition continues to be a cornerstone in nursing education and practice, providing the most current information and tools necessary for delivering patient-centered care.
This handbook is thoughtfully structured to guide users through the entire care planning process, starting with a foundational understanding of nursing diagnoses and progressing to the application of these diagnoses in diverse clinical settings. Let’s explore what makes this 11th edition an essential tool for modern nursing practice.
Unpacking the Core Components: A Section-by-Section Overview
The handbook is logically divided into sections to facilitate ease of use and comprehensive understanding.
Section I: Foundations of Nursing Diagnosis
This introductory section lays the groundwork for understanding the critical role of nursing diagnosis in patient care. It begins by establishing the background and significance of nursing diagnosis within the broader healthcare context. It meticulously explains the relationship between the Nursing Process and Nursing Diagnosis, highlighting how accurate diagnoses are integral to effective nursing interventions.
Furthermore, this section delves into the Standards of Care and their connection to nursing diagnoses, emphasizing the importance of evidence-based practice. It also addresses the evolving landscape of healthcare with discussions on Case Management and Critical Paths. The handbook clarifies the concepts of case management and critical paths, explaining how nursing diagnoses are incorporated into these frameworks to streamline patient care and manage resources efficiently. The role of nursing diagnosis in identifying and naming variance in patient progress within critical paths is also clearly defined.
Finally, Section I provides a detailed breakdown of the Components of Nursing Diagnosis Care Plans. It elucidates each element, including:
- Nursing Diagnosis: Providing a clear definition and emphasizing its importance in guiding care.
- Definition: Offering precise definitions for each diagnosis to ensure accurate application.
- Defining Characteristics: Listing observable cues and symptoms that support the diagnosis.
- Related Factors: Identifying factors that contribute to or influence the nursing diagnosis.
- Risk Factors: Outlining elements that increase a patient’s vulnerability to a specific diagnosis.
- Suggestions for Use: Providing practical tips and guidance on applying the diagnosis effectively.
- Suggested Alternative Diagnoses: Helping users differentiate between similar diagnoses for accurate selection.
- NOC Outcomes: Integrating Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) to establish measurable patient outcomes.
- Goals/Evaluation Criteria: Translating NOC outcomes into specific, achievable goals and evaluation criteria.
- NIC Interventions: Connecting Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) to guide appropriate nursing actions.
- Nursing Activities: Detailing specific nursing activities linked to NIC interventions.
- Clinical Conditions Guide: Introducing the guide that links clinical conditions to relevant nursing diagnoses and collaborative problems.
Section II: Nursing Diagnoses: Plans of Care
This core section, the most extensive part of the handbook, provides Plans of Care in Alphabetical Order for a wide range of NANDA International-approved nursing diagnoses. This section is designed for quick access and practical application. Each plan of care is meticulously structured, consistently presenting the following essential information for every nursing diagnosis:
- Taxonomy number: For easy reference within NANDA-I taxonomy.
- Definition: A concise and precise definition of the nursing diagnosis.
- Defining Characteristics: A comprehensive list of observable signs and symptoms.
- Related Factors: Contributing factors that influence the diagnosis.
- Risk Factors: Factors that increase susceptibility to the diagnosis.
- Suggestions for Use: Practical guidance on applying the diagnosis in practice.
- Suggested Alternative Diagnoses: Assistance in differentiating similar diagnoses.
- NOC Outcomes: Recommended Nursing Outcomes Classification for measuring patient progress.
- Goals/Evaluation Criteria (Examples of NOC and Other): Specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals derived from NOC outcomes, along with evaluation criteria.
- NIC Interventions: Recommended Nursing Interventions Classification to guide nursing actions.
- Nursing Activities (NIC and Other): Detailed nursing activities associated with NIC interventions, providing step-by-step guidance.
This section is an invaluable resource for nurses in any clinical setting, providing readily accessible, evidence-based plans of care to guide their interventions and improve patient outcomes.
Section III: Clinical Conditions Guide
Section III serves as a practical Clinical Conditions Guide to Nursing Diagnoses and Collaborative Problems. This section bridges the gap between medical diagnoses and nursing care by linking various clinical conditions to relevant nursing diagnoses and multidisciplinary (collaborative) problems.
This guide is organized into categories of clinical conditions:
- Medical Conditions: Listing a wide range of medical diagnoses and their associated nursing diagnoses and collaborative problems.
- Surgical Conditions: Focusing on conditions requiring surgical interventions and the related nursing considerations.
- Psychiatric Conditions: Addressing mental health conditions and relevant nursing diagnoses in psychiatric care.
- Antepartum and Postpartum Conditions: Covering conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
- Newborn Conditions: Focusing on the unique needs of newborns and associated nursing diagnoses.
- Pediatric Conditions: Addressing health concerns specific to children and pediatric nursing care.
This section enables nurses to quickly identify potential nursing diagnoses and collaborative problems based on a patient’s medical or surgical condition, streamlining the assessment and care planning process.
Appendices: Supplementary Resources
The appendices in the 11th Edition offer valuable supplementary information to enhance the handbook’s utility:
- Appendix A: 2015—2017 NANDA International-Approved Diagnoses. Grouped by Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns: Organizes NANDA-I diagnoses according to Gordon’s Functional Health Patterns, facilitating a holistic assessment approach.
- Appendix B: NANDA International-Approved Nursing Diagnoses (2015— 2017), Taxonomy II: Domains, Classes, and Diagnoses: Presents the complete list of NANDA-I diagnoses organized by Taxonomy II domains and classes, providing a structured overview of the diagnostic system.
- Appendix C: Selected NANDA International Axis Descriptors: Provides a selection of NANDA-I axis descriptors for further refining and specifying nursing diagnoses.
- Appendix D: Multidisciplinary (Collaborative) Problems Associated With Diseases and Other Physiologic Disorders: Lists collaborative problems linked to various diseases and physiological disorders, highlighting the interdisciplinary nature of patient care.
- Appendix E: Multidisciplinary (Collaborative) Problems Associated With Tests and Treatments: Identifies collaborative problems that may arise from diagnostic tests and medical treatments.
- Appendix F: Multidisciplinary (Collaborative) Problems Associated With Surgical Treatments: Focuses on collaborative problems specifically related to surgical interventions.
These appendices serve as quick reference guides and expand on the information presented in the main sections, making the handbook a truly comprehensive resource.
Conclusion: Your Go-To Guide for Nursing Diagnosis and Care Planning
The Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: A Guide to Planning Care, 11th Edition remains the definitive guide for nurses seeking to master nursing diagnosis and care planning. Its clear structure, comprehensive content, and user-friendly format make it an invaluable tool for both students learning the fundamentals and experienced practitioners seeking to enhance their skills and ensure the highest standards of patient care. Whether you are developing care plans, preparing for exams, or seeking to deepen your understanding of nursing diagnoses, this handbook is an essential addition to your professional library.
