Best Nursing Assessment & Diagnosis Books of 2025

Real Food for Pregnancy by Lily Nichols is a comprehensive guide to optimal prenatal nutrition. Nichols provides clear and evidence-based recommendations on what to eat and why during pregnancy. Her approach to nutrition is not only relevant during pregnancy but for the rest of your life. The book is well-referenced and more in-depth than many textbooks, making it a valuable resource for birth professionals and expectant mothers alike. If you want to make healthy food choices that support a smooth and healthy pregnancy, Real Food for Pregnancy is a must-read.

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review, Fourth Edition is an excellent resource for those preparing for the FNP certification exam. The book, written by Maria T. Codina Leik, features updated information on the AANPCB and ANCC certification exams, practice tests, and extensive test-taking techniques. The chapters are well-organized, and each one includes valuable Exam Tips and Clinical Pearls. With the purchase of the print edition, readers receive six months of free access to ExamPrepConnect Interactive Digital Prep. This book is an indispensable tool for those seeking to boost their confidence and ensure success on the certification exam.

Bates' Guide To Physical Examination and History Taking (Lippincott Connect) is a comprehensive guide for medical professionals to perform physical examinations with accuracy and efficiency. The book includes fully illustrated, step-by-step techniques and an easy-to-follow two-column format that correlates examination techniques with differential diagnoses. It also covers special populations, LGBTQ and diverse populations throughout the life cycle. The book offers clinical pearls, detailed tables of abnormal conditions, and an online glossary. The book is highly recommended for medical practitioners who want to master the art of physical examination.

Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook provides an evidence-based guide to planning care through an easy three-step system. The book offers step-by-step instructions on how to implement care, evaluate outcomes, and build skills in diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking. It includes nursing diagnoses and care plans for over 1450 client symptoms, interventions, and outcomes. The handbook is edited by nursing educators Mary Beth Flynn Makic and Marina Reyna Martinez-Kratz, providing everything needed to write nursing care plans in just one book. Overall, the book is an excellent resource for respiratory therapy professionals interested in creating individualized nursing care plans.

Physical Examination and Health Assessment by Carolyn Jarvis is the ultimate guide for nursing students and professionals seeking a comprehensive approach to health assessment skills and physical examination. With over 1,100 full-color illustrations, step-by-step guidance, and evidence-based content, this book provides a clear, logical, and holistic approach to physical examination and health assessment across the patient lifespan. The 8th edition includes a new standalone Vital Signs chapter, enhanced EHR and documentation content, and a fresh focus on today’s need-to-know information. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve their health assessment skills and knowledge.

Telephone Triage Protocols for Nurses, 6th Edition is a comprehensive manual that offers accurate care recommendations even when client information is limited. The book features more than 200 protocols that address a wide range of symptoms, disorders, and medical emergencies, and the flow chart format leads callers to provide vital Yes or No answers to appropriate questions. The protocols are alpha-organized, and the table of contents is arranged by body system, making it easy for nurses to quickly locate topics. The book is ideal for all nurses, particularly those in triage and ambulatory practice. The addition of new and updated protocols, including those related to elder abuse, stroke symptoms, and Zika virus, makes this book unique and relevant for today's healthcare professionals.

The Fundamentals of Nursing: Active Learning for Collaborative Practice is a nursing book that offers a new approach to learning the nursing profession. The book introduces basic information first, making it easier to understand and follows with progressively more nuanced and complex nursing concepts. The authors offer a warm, friendly writing style that helps readers practice, think critically, and gain mastery. The book also includes case studies and active learning activities that help readers apply chapter content to broader nursing concepts and realistic patient scenarios. Overall, this book is a great resource for nursing students who want to build a solid foundation in the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as a nurse.

The Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review, Fourth Edition is a comprehensive exam prep set that includes review content, practice Q&A, flashcards, and interactive digital prep. This book is an excellent study resource for those who are preparing for the FNP certification exam. The newly updated fourth edition features key information about the new AANPCB and ANCC FNP certification exams, all new end-of-chapter review questions, and new full-color images. It also includes four full-length practice tests with hundreds of new questions and rationales. The nursing flashcards provide a highly efficient way to retain knowledge, and the book also features invaluable test-taking techniques and question dissection and analysis chapters. Overall, this set is highly recommended for those who want to pass the FNP exam with confidence.

The Bates' Pocket Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking (Lippincott Connect) is a trusted pocket-sized reference for medical students, PAs, pharmacy, and nursing students. The updated ninth edition provides concise, authoritative guidance on how to perform the patient interview, physical examination, and other core assessments. With an enhanced design, new content, and new student-friendly learning aids, the guide includes fully illustrated, step-by-step techniques and algorithms that provide helpful starting approaches for patients with common presenting symptoms. This book is an ideal quick-reference resource for effective information-gathering and decision-making approaches.

The Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 12th Edition Revised Reprint with 2021-2023 NANDA-I® Updates is an evidence-based guide for nursing care plans. It helps select appropriate nursing diagnoses and write care plans with ease and confidence. The book integrates NIC and NOC taxonomies, evidence-based nursing interventions, and various considerations for creating unique, individualized care plans. The book is updated with 2021-2023 NANDA-I© approved nursing diagnoses. It provides comprehensive, up-to-date information on nursing assessment and diagnosis, making it an essential guide for nurses. Overall, it is a must-have for nursing students and professionals.