title: Explication of the nature and meaning of nursing diagnosis.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to stimulate discussion and further investigation about the nature and meaning of nursing diagnosis. Premises that place nursing diagnosis within the framework of self-care deficit nursing theory are presented. Also presented are propositions about nurses as diagnosticians, the process features of nursing diagnosis, and propositions about nursing diagnostic questions. The intellectual/cognitive processes essential to nursing diagnosis are discussed and investigative questions for nursing diagnostic stages proposed.
authors.affiliation: MCL Educational Services, White Rock, British Columbia.
authors.forename: Katherine McLaughlin
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Renpenning
authors.forename: Gerd Bekel
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: SozWiss
authors.forename: Mary J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Denyes
authors.forename: Dorothea E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Orem
authors.forename: Susan G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D009733:Nursing Diagnosis