Final answer:
The nurse's first step in the process of deriving community nursing diagnoses is to categorize and study assessment data for potential or actual health problems amenable to nursing interventions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse's first step in the process of deriving community nursing diagnoses is B) Assessment data are categorized and studied for inferences that are descriptive of potential or actual health problems amenable to nursing interventions.
During the assessment phase, the nurse collects data about the community's health status, including key indicators, demographics, and health conditions. This data is then categorized and studied to identify potential or actual health problems that can be addressed through nursing interventions.
For example, if the data shows a high prevalence of diabetes in the community, the nurse can infer that there may be a need for education and support programs for diabetes management.