2．Integrating Nursing Diagnosis into Practice Settings

Integration of nursing diagnosis into a patient care setting requires a commitment to the value of the professional nurse as an important member of the health care team. This requires a commitment from all levels in the institution, from administration to information systems. The use of nursing diagnosis in the institution helps to identify and document the unique contribution that the nurse has in providing patient care and helping the patient to reach health goals. In this presentation I will address ways that managers, educators, and hospital systems can support the clinical nurse's use of nursing diagnosis.

　Why is nursing diagnosis important in practice? First, it enhances the nurse's ability to describe the independent aspects of practice. Second, it provides a link between patient concerns and nursing treatment and outcomes. Third, it provides a way to know and treat the total person, especially in a changing environment. With the ever increasing severity of illness shortend length of stay, and the increasing cost containment actions being taken in the United States, nurses are required to be increasingly efficient. The use of a model and language that maintains a focus on the patient and incorporates the biological, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of the entire person are more important than ever in the fast pace of health care.