Which components comprise the nursing process?

• A. Assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation
• B. Diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, discharge
• C. Assessment, planning, evaluation, reflection
• D. Examination, diagnosis, intervention, evaluation

Answer: (A)

The nursing process is a systematic, patient-centered problem-solving approach that guides how care is planned and delivered. It consists of five interrelated stages: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This sequence shows how nurses first gather data about a patient, interpret what it means to identify actual or potential problems, set goals and develop a care plan, carry out the planned actions, and then review outcomes to determine if goals were met and adjust as needed. The option that lists these five steps exactly reflects this ADPIE framework. Other options use terms that aren’t part of the nursing process (such as treatment, discharge, examination, or reflection) or omit essential steps like diagnosis or implementation, so they don’t capture the full, correct sequence.