Accountability and nursing diagnosis.

A taxonomy of nursing diagnoses improves communication within the domain of nursing practice. The author contends that use of this tool throughout the health care delivery system could lead to improved management of nursing care. Improvements could be made in identification of staffing requirements, justification of third party payments, development of quality assurance programs, establishment of standard terminology between nurses, and generation of an extensive and valid research data base. Nursing administrators should consider using accepted nursing diagnoses as one of the tools available to improve nursing care and to document nursing accountability.