Nursing's Scientific Method

The nursing process, developed by nursing theorist Ida Jean Orlando, has guided nurses for more than 65 years. Yet as nursing's responsibilities and evidence-based knowledge evolves, so should the nursing process. This article offers four recommendations to enhance the process: (1) changing “nursing process” to “nursing's scientific method”; (2) adding “relationship building” and “communication” to the method; (3) renaming “nursing diagnosis” and “outcome identification” to “problems/strengths identification” and “goals”; and (4) emphasizing that nursing's scientific method is a critical thinking methodology. These changes would better promote critical thinking, patient-centeredness, effectiveness of nursing care, and patient safety and engagement. Evidence and research are cited to support these recommendations.