What is the primary purpose of the nursing process?

The primary purpose of the nursing process is to provide a structured approach to patient care and medication management. This process is systematic and involves several key steps: assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. Through these stages, nurses assess the needs of their patients, identify actual or potential health problems, develop a comprehensive care plan, implement interventions, and continually evaluate the outcomes of care.

This structured approach ensures that patient care is individualized and prioritized, leading to better health outcomes. It allows nurses to use critical thinking and clinical judgment to manage medications effectively and ensure they are administered safely and appropriately. This focus on patient care is essential in nursing practice and is fundamental to the delivery of quality health services.

While the other options may pertain to aspects of healthcare, they do not focus specifically on the nursing process as a means of managing and delivering patient-centered care. Thus, the emphasis on a patient care framework in the correct choice highlights the essence of nursing practice and the pivotal role nurses play in health care delivery.