What is the correct order of steps in the nursing process?

The nursing process is a systematic and sequential framework that guides nurses in delivering patient care. The correct order of steps is: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

This structure starts with assessment, which involves gathering comprehensive data about the patient’s health status. Following assessment, diagnosis is the step where nurses analyze the data to identify actual or potential health problems. Once diagnoses have been made, the planning phase involves outlining measurable and achievable goals to address the identified issues. Implementation follows, during which nursing interventions are carried out to meet the established goals. Finally, evaluation is the step where nurses assess the outcomes of the interventions to determine their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.

This systematic approach ensures that patient care is comprehensive, organized, and continually improved based on evaluation outcomes.