Final answer:
Nursing diagnoses aid in effective communication of a patient's status by quantifying subjective symptoms, ensuring procedural information is correctly reviewed with the team, and contributing to accurate disease identification and treatment approaches.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nursing diagnosis is a critical component in the communication of a patient's status within the healthcare setting. Unlike signs, which are observable and measurable, symptoms are subjective and felt by the patient, making them difficult to assess precisely. Nurses, as part of their diagnostic process, utilize methods such as the Wong-Baker Faces pain-rating scale to quantify symptoms. Additionally, they review aloud with the medical team vital information to ensure the safety and recovery of a patient post-procedure.
This communication strategy ensures that crucial details, such as the name of the procedure, needle and sponge counts, specimen labeling, and equipment issues, are confirmed and addressed. Similarly, the collaboration between doctors and nurses, though sometimes marked by different reactions due to varying levels of authority, focuses on the combined goal of diagnosing diseases and prescribing correct treatments. Together, they rely on analysis of both signs and symptoms, often needing to confirm disease causation through direct and indirect diagnostic methods.
By naming specific diseases as National Priority Infections (NPIs), organizations such as the CDC commit to improving diagnostic testing and treatment, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis and communication within the medical field.