NANDA

NANDA stands for the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association. In recent years, however, the organization's name has changed. In order to reflect the global nature of its work as well as its membership base, NANDA is now known as NANDA International, or NANDA-I. This organization works for improvements in the language of nursing to achieve a universal understanding in the medical field.

This is an important goal, for one of the hindrances to the advancement of the nursing profession is the confusion caused by antiquated medical jargon. In fact, the problem of language is a problem for the medical profession as a whole. Esoteric medical terms cause communication problems across the board and serve to slow down progress in patient care.

The Scope and Mission of NANDA International

This leads to the issue of the ever-increasing computerization of medical information. There is little time to waste in today's money- and time-crunched medical clinics. With the increasing reliance on computer software and electronic databases, the terminology used in the medical professions must be ever more exact and universally accepted.

Uniformity of language can help ensure more effective administration and patient care. This is where the work of NANDA International plays an important role. The organization doesn't merely address semantics and language. It is also concerned with the nursing profession as a whole, and its role within the different societies and cultures of today. Thus it takes a holistic approach to the work of nurses and the language in which they communicate. If you are studying from nursing manuals, be sure that the terminology being used will actually be useful to you in the field.