Wellness nursing diagnoses: to be or not to be?

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Health Promotion
• Holistic Care

Background:

• The nursing diagnosis movement has historically focused on problem identification since the 1970s.
• A shift towards a wellness perspective is proposed to broaden the scope of nursing practice.
• Existing definitions of nursing diagnoses offer opportunities for integrating wellness concepts.

Observation:

• Wellness is distinct from illness and general health, requiring specific conceptual clarification.
• A growing body of literature supports the inclusion of wellness nursing diagnoses.
• Examples illustrate the application of wellness diagnoses across diverse client populations.

Findings:

• The new definition of nursing diagnoses facilitates the incorporation of a wellness perspective.
• Conceptual models can clarify the distinctions between wellness, illness, and health.
• Wellness nursing diagnoses are applicable to clients experiencing both wellness and illness.

Implications:

• Nurses should embrace and integrate wellness nursing diagnoses into their practice.
• Further research is needed to generate, validate, and refine wellness diagnoses.
• Adopting wellness diagnoses enhances the holistic approach to patient care and health promotion.