The nursing process is also characterized by the following elements.
1. Dynamic and Cyclic
The nursing process is an evolving process that continues throughout a patient’s admission or illness and ends when the problems identified by the nurse are no longer an issue.
2. Patient-Centered and Goal-Directed
The entire nursing process is sensitive to and responsive to the patient’s needs, preferences, and values. As nurses, we need to act as patient advocates and protect the patient’s right to make informed decisions while involving the patient in goal setting and attainment.
3. Collaborative and Interpersonal
This describes the level of interaction that may be required between nurses, patients, families and supports, and the interprofessional healthcare team. These aspects of the nursing process require mutual respect, cooperation, clear communication, and decision-making that is shared between all parties involved.
4. Universally Applicable
As a widely and globally accepted standard in nursing practice, the nursing process follows the same steps, regardless of where a nurse works.
5. Systematic and Scientific
The nursing process is also an objective and predictable process for planning, conducting, and evaluating patient care that is based on a large body of scientific evidence found in peer-reviewed nursing research.
6. Requires Critical Thinking
Most importantly, it’s essential that nurses use critical thinking when planning patient care using the nursing process. This means as nurses, we must use a combination of our knowledge and past experiences with the information we have about a current patient to make the best decisions we can about nursing care.
History of the Nursing Process
The nursing process was introduced in 1958 by Ida Jean Orlando. Today, it continues to be the most widely-accepted method of prioritizing, organizing, and providing patient care in the nursing profession.
It’s characterized by the key elements of:
- Critical thinking
- Client-centered methods for treatment
- Goal-oriented activities
- Evidence-based nursing research and findings