Fully revised and expanded, the fifth edition of this successful introductory text simply and easily explains the nursing process and offers a consistent framework for approaching patient care. Emphasis is on the practical and direct, as students are guided through fundamental care planning situations by the use of case studies and exercises. A pocket-sized appendix on njreing diagnoisis, updated to include the latest NANDA guidelines and definitions, adds signficantly to the usefulness of the book.