Which of the following is an example of a problem-focused nursing diagnosis?

Which of the following is an example of a problem-focused nursing diagnosis?

• A. Nausea related to unknown cause of stomach pain
• B. Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements related to decreased ability to ingest food as a result of vomiting
• C. Wellness nursing diagnosis
• D. Readiness for enhanced knowledge about postoperative care

Answer: (B)

Problem-focused diagnoses describe a current health problem that has clear signs or symptoms and requires nursing actions to treat or manage. In this item, the statement “imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements related to decreased ability to ingest food as a result of vomiting” identifies a real deficit in nutritional intake that is happening now and ties it to a specific contributing factor (vomiting). This signals a present problem that nursing interventions should address—improving intake, managing vomiting, and monitoring nutritional status. The other options describe either a wellness or readiness state rather than an active problem. Wellness diagnoses reflect a desire to improve health or knowledge without a current deficit, while readiness for enhanced knowledge about postoperative care indicates a target for education rather than a present physiologic problem. The option mentioning nausea presents a symptom, but without a defined current deficit in function or nutrition to address, it’s not the same kind of current problem requiring nursing actions as the explicit nutrition imbalance.

Problem-focused diagnoses describe a current health problem that has clear signs or symptoms and requires nursing actions to treat or manage. In this item, the statement “imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements related to decreased ability to ingest food as a result of vomiting” identifies a real deficit in nutritional intake that is happening now and ties it to a specific contributing factor (vomiting). This signals a present problem that nursing interventions should address—improving intake, managing vomiting, and monitoring nutritional status.

The other options describe either a wellness or readiness state rather than an active problem. Wellness diagnoses reflect a desire to improve health or knowledge without a current deficit, while readiness for enhanced knowledge about postoperative care indicates a target for education rather than a present physiologic problem. The option mentioning nausea presents a symptom, but without a defined current deficit in function or nutrition to address, it’s not the same kind of current problem requiring nursing actions as the explicit nutrition imbalance.