What are the phases of the nursing process?

The phases of the nursing process consist of five key steps: Assessment, Diagnosis, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. This structured approach is essential in nursing as it provides a systematic method for delivering patient care.

Starting with Assessment, nurses gather comprehensive data about the patient’s health status, which forms the foundation for all subsequent steps. The Diagnosis phase involves analyzing the data collected to identify health issues or problems that the patient is experiencing. Following the diagnosis, the Planning phase is where goals are established, and the appropriate interventions to achieve these goals are determined.

Implementation refers to the execution of the care plan, where nursing actions are carried out to address the diagnosed health issues. Finally, Evaluation involves assessing the effectiveness of the interventions and determining whether the patient has met the established goals. This step may lead to revisions in the care plan based on the patient’s progress.

This comprehensive cycle ensures continuity of care and helps to adapt to the patient's needs effectively, making option C the only choice that accurately encapsulates the complete nursing process.