#27

Discuss independent nursing actions

Nurses have responsibilities related to both medical and nursing diagnoses. Nursing diagnoses relate to the nurse’s independent functions, that is areas of health care that are unique to nursing and separate and distinct from medical management.

Nurses may not prescribe all the care for a nursing diagnosis, but if the problem is a nursing diagnosis, the nurse can prescribe most of the interventions needed for prevention or resolution.

For example, most clients with a nursing diagnosis of PAIN have medical orders for analgesics, but many nursing interventions can also alleviate pain (e.g. guided imagery or teaching a client to splint an incision).

With regard to medical diagnosis, nurses are obligated to carry out physician prescribed therapies and treatments, that is dependent functions.
Kozier Fundamentals p281