Overview
This lecture explains the nursing process, a systematic method for providing patient-centered care, and examines its steps, importance, and challenges in practice.
Introduction to the Nursing Process
- The nursing process was introduced by Ida Jean Orlando in 1958.
- It is a systematic, critical-thinking method that ensures compassionate, evidence-based, and patient-centered nursing care.
- The process integrates scientific principles and intuition for quality outcomes.
Five Steps of the Nursing Process
- The nursing process consists of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Assessment
- Assessment involves collecting subjective (patient-reported) and objective (measurable) data.
- Information can come from patients, caregivers, medical records, and electronic health records.
- Critical thinking is essential during assessment.
Diagnosis
- Nursing diagnoses use clinical judgment to identify actual or potential health problems.
- Diagnoses are prioritized using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, focusing on basic needs first.
- NANDA provides standardized nursing diagnoses.
Planning
- Planning sets specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely (SMART) goals for patient care.
- Care plans direct personalized care, improve continuity, and aid communication among care teams.
Implementation
- Implementation involves performing nursing interventions and treatments as outlined in the care plan.
- Actions may include administering medications, applying monitors, and following standard protocols.
Evaluation
- Evaluation checks if care goals are met and determines if the plan needs adjustment.
- Regular reassessment ensures the plan remains effective based on new data.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Nursing
- Basic needs (nutrition, elimination, airway, breathing, circulation, sleep) are prioritized first.
- Safety (injury prevention, education) is next, followed by love/belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization.
Challenges in Applying the Nursing Process
- Many nurses lack adequate training or experience in applying the nursing process.
- High nurse-patient ratios and resource shortages hinder effective implementation.
Clinical Significance and Education Trends
- The nursing process is essential in modern healthcare, especially with aging populations and complex cases.
- Nurses must develop critical thinking and adapt to evolving roles and technologies.
- A shift toward concept-based curricula aims to enhance practical problem-solving skills in real-world settings.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Nursing Process — a systematic approach to planning and providing care using five steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
- Nursing Diagnosis — a clinical judgment about patient responses to health conditions, used to guide care.
- Assessment — gathering subjective (reported) and objective (measured) patient data.
- Implementation — carrying out care interventions as planned.
- Evaluation — determining if patient care goals are achieved.
- Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs — a framework ranking human needs from basic (physiological) to higher (self-actualization).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review Maslow's Hierarchy as it applies to prioritizing patient needs.
- Practice formulating nursing diagnoses using the NANDA framework.
- Familiarize yourself with SMART goal setting in care planning.