Nursing process model's utility in assisting associate degree nursing students to identify the independent domain of nursing

The associate degree nursing students' ability to identify the independent domain of nursing as determined by the etiology component of the nursing diagnosis statement was studied before and after they received instruction on how to use the Nursing Process Model to direct formulation of nursing diagnoses. The study further described the extent to which etiologies identifying the independent domain of nursing could be classified according to the Gartland Schema for Classification of the Etiology Component of the Nursing Diagnosis Statement and Nursing Interventions. A one group pretest-posttest design was used and 21 subjects participated in the study. A total of 425 nursing diagnosis statements was formulated by the subjects from the pretest (n = 223) and posttest (n = 202). Results indicated that associate degree nursing students' ability to identify etiologies in the independent domain of nursing was greater after instruction on the use of the Nursing Process Model.