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Health Sciences Degrees | AAS Programs: Nursing Diagnoses

Guide for students taking pre-health courses, and those in the RN, LPN, nurse aide, surgical technology, respiratory therapy, radiography, programs..,

What are Nursing Diagnoses?

nursing diagnosis deals with human responses to actual or potential health problems.  A nursing diagnosis identifies the unique ways in which individuals respond to health crises. 

Whereas, a medical (sometimes called clinical) diagnosis identifies the patient’s disease/disorder/medical condition. 

For consistency, nurses all over the globe use special terminology, which is approved by NANDA International.  Example:

Medical Diagnosis                                    Nursing Diagnosis
Stroke (cerebrovascular attack) Impaired verbal communication; risk for falls; interrupted family processes 

Why use 'NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses'

Video: Nursing Diagnosis vs. Medical Diagnosis

Top Resource for Nursing Diagnoses