Problem Solving Process in Nursing

DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
DEPARTMENT OF NURSING
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE NURSING
UNIT TITLE: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING PRACTICE II
UNIT CODE: HNS2III
ASSIGNMENT:
DISCUSS PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS AS IT APPLIES TO NURSING.
GROUP MEMBERS INCLUDE:
1. STANLEY GICHURU H151-01-2233/2020
2. FAITH CAROLINE HI51-01-2269/2019
3. JULIET WAMBUI KARERI H151-01-2114/2020
4. TERESAH RADOLO H151-01-2358/2020
5. NDURU MARY IMMACULATE MUKAMI H151-01-1666/2020
6. EVA WAWERU H151-01-1681/2020
7. MAUREEN NJENGA H151-01-1814/2019
SUBMITTED TO: MS. ESTHER OPISA.

DISCUSS THE PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS AS IT APPLIES TO NURSING
The nursing process is a method of problem solving. The nursing process is a critical thinking
profession that professional nurses use to apply the best available evidence to caregiving and
promoting human functions and responses to health and illness (American Nurses Association,
2010) It is a fundamental blue print for how to care for patients. It is also a standard of practice
which, when followed correctly protects nurses against legal problems related to nursing care
(Austin, 2008) It forms an important therapeutic role in addition to formulating the best care for
the patient.
The five steps of Nursing process include: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation and
Evaluation.
The first step is Assessment, It is the deliberate and systemic approach about a patient to
determine his or her current and past health and functional status and his or her present and past
coping patterns ( Carpenito -Moyet, 2009) Nursing Assessment includes two steps:
a) Collection of information from a primary source (the patient) and secondary sources
(family members, health professionals and medical record)
b) The interpretation and validation of data to ensure a complete database.
The purpose of assessment is to establish a data base about the patient’s perceived needs, health
problems and responses to these problems. In addition, the data reveal related experiences, health
practices, goals, values and expectations about health care system. Critical thinking is a vital part
of assessment. It allows you to see the big picture when you form conclusions or make decisions
about a patient’s health condition. Use of critical thinking attitudes such as curiosity,
perseverance and confidence ensure you complete a comprehensive database.
Second step is Diagnosis, it is a clinical judgement based on information needed to make

diagnostic conclusions about patient care. You review information collected about a patient, see
cues and patterns in the data and identify the patient’s specific health problems. Some of the
conclusions lead to identifying nursing diagnoses whereas others do not. Diagnostic conclusions
include problems treated primarily by nurse(nursing diagnoses) and those requiring treatment by
several discipline (collaborative problems) Together nursing diagnoses and collaborative
problems represent the range of patient’s conditions that require nursing care( Carpenito -Moyet,
2009). What makes nursing diagnostic process unique is having patients involved, when
possible, in the process.
Third step in Nursing process is Planning. It involves setting priorities, identifying patient-
centered goals and outcomes and pre-scribing individualized nursing interventions. Planning
requires critical thinking applied through deliberate decision making and problem solving. It also
involves working closely with patients, their families, and health care team through
communication and ongoing consultation. Patients benefit most when their care represents a
collaborative effort from expertise of all health care team members. A plan of care is dynamic
and changes as the patient’s needs change. Being able to carefully and wisely set priorities for a
single patient or group of patients ensures the timeliest, relevant and appropriate care. A patient
centered goal is also involved, it reflects a patient’s highest possible wellness and independence
in function. It is realistic and based on patient’s needs and resources. Nurse- initiated
interventions are the independent nursing interventions or actions that a nurse initiates. These do
not require an order from another health care professional. As a nurse you act independently on a
patient’s behalf.
Fourth step is implementation. It begins after the nurse develops a nursing a plan of care. With a
care plan based on clear and relevant nursing diagnoses, the nurse initiates interventions that are
designed to achieve the goals and expected outcomes needed to support or improve the patient’s
health status. A Nursing intervention is any treatment based on clinical judgement and
knowledge that a nurse performs to enhance patient’s outcome (Bulecheck et.al.,2008) Ideally
the interventions a nurse uses are evidenced based, providing most current, up-to-date), and
effective approaches for managing patient problems. Interventions include: Direct care and
indirect care. Direct care interventions are treatments performed through interactions with
patients while indirect interventions are treatment performed away from the patient but on behalf
or group of patient.
Final step is evaluation in nursing process. It is crucial to determine whether after application of
the nursing process the patient’s condition or well-being improves. You apply all that you know
about a patient and his or her condition and your experiences with previous patients to evaluate
whether nursing care was effective. The expected outcomes established during planning are the
standards against which the nurse judges whether goals have been met and if care is successful.
Evaluation is an ongoing process that occurs whenever you have contact with a patient. During
evaluation you make clinical decisions and continually redirect nursing care. Positive evaluation
occurs when patient meets desired outcomes, which leads you to conclude that nursing
interventions were effective. An unmet outcome reveals that the patient has not responded to
interventions as planned. A patient whose health status continuously changes requires more
frequent evaluation.
In conclusion, Nursing Process is a systematic guide to problem solving, involving critical

thinking and communication skills, as well as medical based understanding. It gives a general
picture of the patient’s circumstances. Each patient is an individual and come with their own set
of unique problems. Every time the Nursing Process is carried out it should be patient centered
and related to giving the patient the best possible care.
REFERENCES:
1. Potter, P.A., Perry, A. G., Hall, A.& Stockert, P. A. (2017). Fundamentals of nursing. Ninth
edition. St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier.
2. American Nurses Association: Nursing’s social policy statement: the essence of the
profession, Washington, DC,2010, The Association.
3. Benner P: From novice to expert: excellence and power in clinical nursing practice,
Menlo Park, Calif, 1984, Addison Wesley.
4. Carpenito- Moyet LJ: Nursing diagnosis application to clinical practice, ed 13
Philadelphia, 2009, Lippincott, William& Wilkins.
5. Bulechek GM, et al: Nursing Interventions classification ( NIC), ed 5, St.Louis, 2008,
Mosby.

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DEDAN KIMATHI UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE NURSING

UNIT TITLE: FUNDAMENTALS OF NURSING PRACTICE II

UNIT CODE: HNS2III

DISCUSS PROBLEM SOLVING PROCESS AS IT APPLIES TO NURSING.

GROUP MEMBERS INCLUDE:

1. STANLEY GICHURU H151-01-2233/2020

2. FAITH CAROLINE HI51-01-2269/2019

3. JULIET WAMBUI KARERI H151-01-2114/2020

4. TERESAH RADOLO H151-01-2358/2020

5. NDURU MARY IMMACULATE MUKAMI H151-01-1666/2020

6. EVA WAWERU H151-01-1681/2020

7. MAUREEN NJENGA H151-01-1814/2019

SUBMITTED TO: MS. ESTHER OPISA.

Second step is Diagnosis, it is a clinical judgement based on information needed to make

In conclusion, Nursing Process is a systematic guide to problem solving, involving critical

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