Why Do Nursing Students Use Care Plans?

Nursing school professors often require nursing students to complete many care plans throughout their college career. The reason is simple: Care plans are important. Nursing students should thoroughly learn about care plans for the following reasons:

1.It Instills critical thinking and analytical skills related to nursing. This will help future nurses evaluate and treat patients more efficiently.

2.By completing care plans, it helps the nursing student successfully pass their board’s test (NCLEX), Hesi tests, and acquire their licensing.

3.Since care plans are used in the nursing profession and in nursing care, it is vital that all nurses know how to complete them.


 

How to Create a Nursing Care Plan: The Process of Developing a Care Plan


When creating a care plan, nursing students often need to refer to a textbook on “Nursing Diagnosis” by NANDA. This text provides information on creating the nursing diagnosis for care plans. Once nurses become familiar with the book, they do not have to refer to it as often when creating care plans.

The first process in completing a care plan is the patient assessment. A nurse should review the patient’s medical history, diagnosis, lab values, medications, and familiarize themselves with the patient. This information is critical to creating an effective and accurate care plan.

The nurse should then create a main focus for the patient’s treatment. Nurses often use the “A, B, C’s” (airway, breathing, and circulation) during this focus. Your focus should come from the NANDA Nursing Diagnosis text.

The nurse should then locate the focus in the NANDA book to help develop the “related to” and “as evidenced by” part of the nursing diagnosis statement.

The nurse should select some outcomes and interventions based on the nursing diagnosis. At least 3 outcomes should be selected for the patient. Outcomes need to be measurable, patient specific, and have a definite time-frame.

Intervention should also be measurable, patient-specific, and have parameters. The intervention should correlate with the outcomes. Often times, it is easier to develop the outcomes before the interventions.

Review the care plan to make sure all of the information is correct.

Implement the care plan into the nursing actions to provide care for the patient.

Re-evaluate the care plan as treatment continues. Make any revisions if necessary if the patient’s condition improves or worsens.


 

 What Do Care Plans Look Like in Nursing School?

The care plans given in nursing school are often on a blank sheet of paper with grid-lines for each focus, treatment, and outcome. Nursing students must then manually complete each field using a very comprehensive set of terms and goals. Sometimes, nursing students are intimidated by the care plan process, and often feel overwhelmed when faced with their first care plan. However, they should keep in mind that many nursing students feel this way, and they will become much easier to complete over time.

It is important to note that often times, nursing care plans can have a slightly different appearance. The exact design or appearance of the care plan can vary from school to school. In addition, many hospitals or medical centers adopt their own unique care plan versions. So each basic care plan design can be totally different from another.

Students entering a college or nursing program are often intimidated by the idea of creating a care plan from scratch. They often wonder what a care plan looks like, and whether or not it is hard to create one.

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 Nursing Care Plan, Diagnosis, Interventions for Disturbed Body Image, Residual Limb, Amputation, and Amputee

 

What are nursing care plans? How do you develop a nursing care plan? What nursing care plan book do you recommend helping you develop a nursing care plan?

 

This care plan is listed to give an example of how a Nurse (LPN or RN) may plan to treat a patient with those condition

Care Plans are often developed in different formats. The formatting isn’t always important, and care plan formatting may vary among different nursing schools or medical jobs. Some hospitals may have the information displayed in digital format, or use pre-made templates. The most important part of the care plan is the content, as that is the foundation on which you will base your care.

 

patient, who is a 42 year old male, is post-opt day 5 from an emergent right below the knee amputation due to a bulldozer accident. The patient’s incision is open to air with staples well intact. No drainage or swelling is noted. The patient’s wife has verbalized concern to you that her husband doesn’t understand that he will need therapy to help him walk again with a prosthesis. She shares concerns that “it is like he thinks his leg is still there”. You note that the patient refuses to look or touch his right residual limb. When you start to ask the patient about how he feels about therapy the patient cuts you short and says “I don’t understand why everyone is making a big deal about this. Once my staples are gone I will be able to walk. I don’t need therapy. My legs are fine.” During the md rounds, you discuss with the md about your concern with the patient accepting his amputation. The md order a psych consult.

Nursing Care Plan and Diagnosis for Disturbed Sleep Pattern Related to | Nanda Nursing Interventions and Outcomes Goals

This care plan is listed to give an example of how a Nurse (LPN or RN) may plan to treat a patient with those conditions.


Scenario:

 

A 36 year old male has been admitted to your medical surgical floor for 23 hour observation due to exhaustion. The patient reports difficultly falling asleep and then staying asleep for the past 5 months. He states that ever since he started his new job 5 months ago working the night shift he is getting less and less sleep. In addition, he states that since his 5th child was born it is loud in his house and he can’t sleep when he gets home from work. He states he is sometimes pulling 16 hours shifts straight and may be gets 3 hours of sleep before he has to go back in. Pt admits to dozing off frequently especially on the job which is why he is came to the hospital because he states he think he has “narcolepsy or something”. He also report being very agitated at the slightest things and that him and his wife have been fighting a lot. Pt states his wife says it is like his is a different person. You note the patient looks very tired with dark circles underneath his eyes.

Nursing Diagnosis:

 

Disturbed Sleep Pattern related to lifestyle disruptions as evidence by reports of difficulty falling and remaining asleep, agitation, dozing during the day, and mood alterations.

Subjective Data:

 

The patient reports difficultly falling asleep and then staying asleep for the past 5 months. He states that ever since he started his new job 5 months ago working the night shift he is getting less and less sleep. In addition, he states that since his 5th child was born it is loud in his house and he can’t sleep when he gets home from work. He states he is sometimes pulling 16 hours shifts straight and may be gets 3 hours of sleep before he has to go back in. Pt admits to dozing off frequently especially on the job which is why he is came to the hospital because he states he think he has “narcolepsy or something”. He also report being very agitated at the slightest things and that him and his wife have been fighting a lot. Pt states his wife says it is like his is a different person.

Objective Data:

 

A 36 year old male has been admitted to your medical surgical floor for 23 hour observation due to exhaustion. You note the patient looks very tired with dark circles underneath his eyes.

 

Nursing Outcomes:

 

-The patient will report optimal balance of sleep.-The patient will report less dozing off during the day.


-The patient will report less agitation.


-The patient will verbalize 4 techniques on how to fall asleep and stay asleep.

-The patient will verbalize 3 side effects of taking a sleep aid.


-The patient will verbalize how and when to take a sleep aid and how they are not to be used on an every day basis.

 

Nursing Interventions:

 

-The nurse will assess the patients sleeping pattern and help him develop a sleeping plan.-The nurse will provide a dark, quiet, and comfortable atmosphere for the patient to sleep in.


-The nurse will discourage caffeine or large meal intake 2 hours before the patient goes to sleep.


-The nurse will educate the patient on 4 techniques on how to fall sleep and stay asleep.


-The nurse will educated the patient on 3 side effects of taking a sleep aid.


-The nurse will educate the patient on when to take a sleep aid and how they are not to be used on an every day basis.