What is the first step in the nursing process?

The first step in the nursing process is assessment. This phase is crucial as it involves gathering comprehensive data about the patient’s health status, needs, and concerns. During assessment, nurses collect information through various means such as patient interviews, physical examinations, medical histories, and diagnostic tests. This foundational step allows nurses to establish a baseline understanding of the patient's condition, which is necessary for identifying nursing diagnoses and developing appropriate care plans.

Without a thorough assessment, it would be challenging to determine the issues that need to be addressed, making it impossible to proceed effectively to the subsequent stages, which include planning, implementation, and evaluation. Each of these following steps relies heavily on the data gathered during the assessment phase to ensure that the care provided is tailored to the individual patient's needs.