What is a NANDA-I Nursing Diagnosis?

A NANDA-I nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment about an individual, family, or community response to actual or potential health conditions. Unlike medical diagnoses, which identify diseases, nursing diagnoses focus on human responses to health problems and life processes. The NANDA-I taxonomy is maintained by NANDA International and is updated every three years to reflect current evidence-based practice.

Structure of a Nursing Diagnosis

Each NANDA-I diagnosis follows a standardized three-part format known as the PES statement:

Problem (P): The diagnostic label, such as "Impaired Gas Exchange" or "Risk for Falls"

Etiology (E): The related factors or risk factors contributing to the problem, expressed as "related to" or "as evidenced by"

Signs/Symptoms (S): The defining characteristics that support the diagnosis

Types of Nursing Diagnoses

NANDA-I recognizes several types: problem-focused diagnoses describe existing problems, risk diagnoses identify vulnerability to potential problems, health promotion diagnoses reflect a desire to improve well-being, and syndrome diagnoses describe clusters of related problems.

Using NANDA-I in Care Planning

Nursing diagnoses form the foundation of individualized care plans. Once a nurse identifies a NANDA-I diagnosis, they select appropriate Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) outcomes and Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) interventions. This standardized approach ensures consistency, facilitates research, and supports reimbursement documentation. The Nurse Care Plan Generator integrates NANDA-I terminology to help nurses build comprehensive, standards-aligned care plans efficiently.