The nursing process requires each step to be based on decisions from which previous step?

The nursing process is a systematic method that guides nurses in delivering patient care, which unfolds in a series of steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. The foundation of this process is the assessment phase, which involves gathering comprehensive data about the patient’s health status.

In this initial step, nurses collect information through physical examinations, patient interviews, and reviewing medical records, among other means. This data serves as a critical baseline for making informed decisions in subsequent steps. Each following step, such as diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation, is inherently dependent on the information and insights derived during the assessment phase. For instance, the diagnosis identifies the patient's health problems based on the data gathered, while the planning stage develops care strategies that address those identified issues.

By ensuring that every step is rooted in the thorough assessment of the patient, nurses can provide tailored and effective care, thus reinforcing the importance of the assessment phase in the nursing process.