Certified Nurses Operating Room (CNOR) Practice Exam

How are nursing diagnoses defined?

1. Through medical history and physical assessments

2. By identifying, naming, and classifying functional health patterns

3. Based on nutrition and lifestyle factors

4. Using standard procedural protocols

The correct answer is: By identifying, naming, and classifying functional health patterns

Nursing diagnoses are defined primarily by identifying, naming, and classifying functional health patterns. This definition emphasizes the holistic approach that nursing takes, as it goes beyond mere physical health to encompass a broad range of human experiences and conditions. It fundamentally involves assessing patients' needs, responses to health issues, and their ability to maintain or achieve optimal health. By identifying functional health patterns, nurses can recognize deviations from the norm that might indicate health problems. This systematic process allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the patient’s situation, facilitating tailored care planning and interventions that address both physical and psychosocial needs. This aspect of nursing diagnoses supports patient-centered care, ensuring that the interventions chosen are specifically relevant to the individual patient, leading to better outcomes. In contrast, other choices relate to specific aspects of health assessment and care but do not capture the overarching definition of nursing diagnoses. For instance, medical history and physical assessments do contribute to understanding a patient's condition but do not encompass the classification and naming aspect inherent in nursing diagnoses. Additionally, focusing solely on nutrition and lifestyle factors or procedural protocols narrows the understanding of the full spectrum of patient care that encompasses various functional health patterns.