Transforming Nursing Diagnosis Education from Diagnosis Label Selection to Clinical Accuracy Training : A Narrative Review

Purpose : This study aimed to review the historical development and standardization of nursing diagnoses and to propose directions for transforming nursing diagnosis education from diagnosis label selection to clinical accuracy training.Methods : A narrative literature review was conducted. Relevant literature was identified through searches of six domestic and international databases conducted between May 27 and June 17, 2026, without restrictions on publication year. After duplicate records were removed and a staged screening process was completed, 177 full-text sources were included. An analysis matrix was used to organize publication characteristics, source type, key findings or arguments, relevance to the review questions, and educational implications. The included literature was synthesized narratively according to the review questions.Results : The literature was synthesized into five thematic areas: (1) the historical development of nursing diagnoses and the contribution of standardized nursing terminology; (2) limitations of diagnosis label-centered approaches; (3) diagnostic accuracy and clinical validity; (4) pathophysiological integration and patient safety-oriented reasoning; and (5) the transformation of nursing diagnosis education. The findings indicated that the educational value of nursing diagnoses is enhanced when standardized diagnostic labels are integrated with the interpretation of patient data, justification of diagnostic decisions, validation of related and risk factors, pathophysiological reasoning, patient safety-oriented reassessment, and linkage of interventions to outcomes.Conclusion : Nursing diagnosis education should move beyond memorization and form completion toward clinical accuracy training that emphasizes data interpretation, diagnostic justification, pathophysiological reasoning, patient safety-oriented decision-making, and logical connections among nursing diagnoses, interventions, and expected outcomes.