After assessment, what comes next in the nursing process?

• A. Planning
• B. Evaluation
• C. Diagnosis
• D. Implementation

Answer: (C)

Interpreting assessment data to identify nursing diagnoses is the next step after assessment. Once the nurse has gathered and reviewed all patient information, the key task is to translate that data into clear statements about actual or potential health problems that require nursing care. These diagnoses organize and prioritize concerns, guiding what needs to be addressed and how.

This step is essential because planning, implementation, and evaluation all hinge on having specific nursing diagnoses to target. Planning uses those diagnoses to set goals and choose interventions. Implementation carries out those actions, and evaluation checks whether the desired outcomes were reached and whether the plan needs adjustment. The other stages come after the diagnoses are established: planning follows, then implementation, then evaluation.