Nursing diagnosis isn’t just terminology—it’s the key to professional autonomy, effective care, and interdisciplinary respect. In this episode, Dr. Heather Herdman welcomes Dr. Rita Gengo, inaugural scholar in the Marjorie Gordon Program, for a deep and empowering conversation on how clinical reasoning and nursing language shape real-world outcomes. 

Dr. Gengo shares her journey from bedside nurse to educator and researcher, offering practical insights on teaching diagnosis, improving patient care, and making nursing visible within the healthcare team. This is a masterclass in why thinking like a nurse matters—and how diagnosis brings the art and science of nursing together. 

Key Takeaways: 

• How nursing diagnosis reveals your unique role in patient care 
• Ways to integrate nursing language across teams and with patients 
• Why a nursing framework like functional health patterns changes everything 
• Teaching strategies that help students truly "think like a nurse" 
• Making nursing visible in an interdisciplinary world 

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