WEEK 8: NURSING DIAGNOSIS

Last week of the blog y'all! So here in our wrap up blog post we are going to talk about nursing diagnosis that are relevant to gastroparesis. Now that we know all about gastroparesis we can jump into the mind of a nurse and see how he/she would approach this disease. Nursing diagnoses really help nurses get their thoughts about the disease down on paper while identifying interventions and goals for each diagnosis. So here are some diagnoses that are relevant...

The first nursing diagnosis might sounds something like: altered nutrition status related to inability to ingest foods. The outcome for this diagnosis would be the patient verbalizes and demonstrates selection of foods and meals that will stop any further weight loss. It would be important for a nurse to monitor weight loss and find out what foods the patient loves. The nurse would also need to explore the attitudes of the patient toward eating food while acknowledging fears/anxiety around the disease.

The second nursing diagnosis may be: ineffective coping related to a new diagnosis of a serious illness. The expected outcome for this diagnosis would be the patient identifies available resources and support systems. The nurse will encourage and support you through the process of identifying people and community resources through this time of change.

The third diagnosis might sound like: health seeking behavior related to new condition and diagnosis. The goal for this patient would be the patient engages in desired behaviors to promote a healthier lifestyle. This might include identifying foods the patient feels comfortable eating or discussing how medications will work. The key to this nursing assessment is judging and monitoring what stage of change the patient is currently at.

The fourth applicable nursing diagnosis is: body image disturbance related to alterations in the function of the gastrointestinal system. The expected outcome for this diagnosis is that the patient will demonstrate enhanced body image and self-esteem as evidenced by ability to talk about and care for themselves.

The fifth and last nursing diagnosis might be: fluid volume deficit related to inadequate fluid intake. The patient goal for this diagnosis would include the patient experiences adequate fluid volume as evidenced by appropriate urine output, normal skin turgor, and consistency of vital signs.

We did it everyone! We went through an eight week study and blog focused on gastroparesis! I hope you feel more knowledgable about this disease! Thank you for joining me along this journey!

References 

Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, and Bucher. Medical-Surgical Nursing: Assessment and management of Clinical Problems. 9th edition. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier; 2014.

Hasler, W. L. (2011). Gastroparesis: pathogenesis, diagnosis and management. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 8(8), 438-454. doi:10.1038/nrgastro.2011.116