BACKGROUNDThe nursing process, a fundamental framework in healthcare, involves assessment, diagnosis, intervention planning, and evaluation. Standardizing nursing terminologies enhances accuracy and consistency in documentation. This study aimed to create a subset of Nanda nursing diagnoses focusing on Gordon's Functional health patterns in the Italian Intensive care unit (Icu) context.METHODA two-round Delphi survey involved 14 critical care nursing experts.RESULTSThe panel reached consensus on 21 diagnoses out of 78 selected, emphasizing safety-related concerns like infection risk, impaired tissue integrity, and ineffective airway clearance. The subset primarily prioritized physiological issues over emotional or spiritual needs.CONCLUSIONSThe study underscores the importance of tailored nursing care through focused diagnosis subsets and highlights the challenges in considering holistic patient needs in critical care settings. Establishing a subset of diagnoses offers a targeted approach for nursing care, fostering consistency and efficiency while suggesting the need for shared subsets to comprehensively map prevalent health issues and their interactions.