Which of the following is NOT a step in the nursing process?

The nursing process is a systematic and dynamic approach that consists of several key steps essential for delivering effective patient care. The steps are assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation.

In this context, "prescription" does not belong to the recognized steps in the nursing process. While nurses may collaborate with healthcare providers on prescriptions and medication management, the formal nursing process itself does not include it as a distinct step. Each step in the nursing process serves a specific function: assessment involves gathering information about the patient, diagnosis refers to identifying the patient's health issues based on this information, planning outlines the goals for patient care, implementation refers to executing the planned interventions, and evaluation assesses the effectiveness of those interventions and determines if goals have been met.

Thus, recognizing "prescription" as not being one of the essential steps of the nursing process aligns with the defined scope of nursing practice, emphasizing the collaborative nature of healthcare rather than framing it as part of the nursing process itself.