Which term describes the identification of diseases and problems for which the physical or advanced practice nurses direct the primary treatment, remaining the same for as long as the disease is present?

Which term describes the identification of diseases and problems for which the physical or advanced practice nurses direct the primary treatment, remaining the same for as long as the disease is present?

• A. Medical diagnosis
• B. Nursing diagnosis
• C. Etiology
• D. Diagnosis/problem label

Answer: (A)

The concept being tested is the distinction between a medical diagnosis and a nursing diagnosis, specifically who directs treatment and how the diagnosis is viewed over time. Medical diagnosis identifies the disease or medical problem and guides the physician or advanced practice nurse in directing the primary treatment. It describes the condition itself and tends to stay the same for as long as the disease is present, forming the basis for ongoing medical decisions. Nursing diagnosis, in contrast, describes how the patient is responding to the health condition and the nursing care required. Because a patient’s status can change with treatment, nursing diagnoses can shift as symptoms evolve, even though the underlying medical condition may persist. Etiology refers to the cause of a disease, not the statement about who directs treatment, and “diagnosis/problem label” isn’t the standard term used in this context. So the best fit for the description is medical diagnosis, since it identifies the disease and directs primary treatment and remains stable for the duration of the disease.

The concept being tested is the distinction between a medical diagnosis and a nursing diagnosis, specifically who directs treatment and how the diagnosis is viewed over time. Medical diagnosis identifies the disease or medical problem and guides the physician or advanced practice nurse in directing the primary treatment. It describes the condition itself and tends to stay the same for as long as the disease is present, forming the basis for ongoing medical decisions.

Nursing diagnosis, in contrast, describes how the patient is responding to the health condition and the nursing care required. Because a patient’s status can change with treatment, nursing diagnoses can shift as symptoms evolve, even though the underlying medical condition may persist. Etiology refers to the cause of a disease, not the statement about who directs treatment, and “diagnosis/problem label” isn’t the standard term used in this context.

So the best fit for the description is medical diagnosis, since it identifies the disease and directs primary treatment and remains stable for the duration of the disease.