Which step provides the framework for organizing patient data and identifying problems?

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

Answer: (A)

This item focuses on how nurses collect and organize patient data to identify problems. The assessment phase is where you gather subjective information from the patient and objective data from the physical exam, tests, and records, then compile it into a coherent database. This process of organizing data—sorting cues, validating information, and forming patterns—creates a baseline picture of the patient’s condition. From that organized data, you begin to spot actual problems and potential needs, which then leads to nursing diagnoses and the planning of care. The subsequent steps rely on what was found during assessment, with diagnosis naming the problems based on the data, planning setting measurable goals and interventions, and evaluation checking progress. In short, assembling and interpreting the patient data to uncover problems is the role of assessment.