What should the nurse do first to determine which diagnosis most accurately reflects the needs of the patient when two nursing diagnoses appear closely related?

Review the defining characteristics

A) If a thorough assessment is completed initially, a reassessment should not be necessary b) To establish which of two nursing diagnoses is most appropriate is not dependent upon identifying the factors that contributed to (also known as related to or etiology of) the nursing problem. These factors are identified after the problem statement is identified. c) To establish which of two nursing diagnoses is more appropriate is not dependent upon analyzing the secondary to factors. Secondary to factors are generally medical conditions that precipitate the related to factors. The secondary to factors are identified after the related to factors of the problem are identified d) The first thing the nurse should do to differentiate between two closely associated nursing diagnoses is to compare the data collected to the major and minor defining characteristics of each of the nursing diagnoses being considered - CORRECT ANSWER