A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client with a chronic respiratory problem. When developing appropriate nursing diagnoses for this client, the nurse needs to keep in mind that:

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A nursing diagnosis describes an actual, risk, or wellness-human response to a health problem that nurses are responsible for treating independently. Nursing diagnoses describe the client's response to the disease process, developmental stage, or life process and provide a convenient way to communicate nursing therapies or interventions. Nursing diagnoses carry legal ramifications. Only healthcare problems within the scope of nursing practice can be identified as nursing diagnoses. A nurse cannot diagnose a medical disease and is not licensed to independently treat such a problem. Although nurses may identify a problem, medical diagnoses require validation by the physician that the problem exists. The main focus of a medical diagnosis is on monitoring for pathophysiologic responses of body organs and systems. Medical diagnoses convey information about signs and symptoms of disease and provide a convenient means for communicating treatment requirements.

A Nurse Is Developing a Plan of Care for a Client