Which term best describes a clinical judgment about responses to health problems?

• A. Nursing diagnosis
• B. Medical diagnosis
• C. Treatment plan
• D. Discharge plan

Answer: (A)

A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment about how a patient responds to health problems. It captures actual or potential problems from the nursing perspective and anchors the plan of care. A medical diagnosis identifies the disease or condition itself, not the patient’s response. A treatment plan lists the actions to address the problem, and a discharge plan outlines care after leaving the facility. For example, “acute pain related to surgery” describes how the patient is responding to a health issue and guides nursing interventions to manage pain, whereas the other terms refer to the disease, specific interventions, or post-discharge planning.