Strategies for teaching nursing diagnosis in undergraduate nursing education: A scoping review

Identify the characteristics of strategies employed in teaching nursing diagnoses in undergraduate nursing programs. The ability to formulate accurate nursing diagnoses is a core component of clinical reasoning and nursing diagnoses are the primary drivers of nursing processes. The optimal approach for students to acquire this competence remains insufficiently understood. Ongoing changes in nursing education have heightened the need to investigate which pedagogical strategies support students in learning and applying diagnostic reasoning. Scoping review conducted following the JBI methodology in March 2025. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines was followed. Seven databases were searched. Twenty-nine studies published between 1993 and 2024 were included. The review protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/UC3ZH. Strategies identified include simulation (n=7), virtual tools (n=6), educational programs (n=6), group work (n=3), case studies (n=3) and other methods (n=4), such as board games, outcome present state test model, guided visual metaphorical strategy and arch method. The findings reveal the predominance of active, student-centred methodologies that foster critical thinking and reflective practice. These approaches appear to support the development of diagnostic competence and may contribute to preparation for clinical decision-making. This review point to the need for standardized evaluation tools and longitudinal research to explore the sustainability and scalability of these approaches in diverse educational contexts. Integrating these strategies into undergraduate curricula has the potential to strengthen students’ engagement with clinical decision-making, promote reflective evidence‑based practice and contribute to safer decision‑making processes. Tweetable abstract: Active, student-centred strategies—especially simulation and virtual tools—enhance nursing students’ diagnostic reasoning and documentation, but standardized evaluation and long-term impact remain underexplored.