Femoral fx

Nursing Students Student Assist

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Hi student nurses and nurses.

Wednesday was my second week stage this week and my patient had a femoral fracture and it was her third day post op. She complains of nausea so i gave her gravol. She also reports pain 6/10 on her left hip (related to her surgery for femoral fx) and she asked me why it was so important to mobilize and do physical exercise. This is one of my dx (defficient knowledge about mobilization as evidenced by the patient doesn't want to get out of the bed) i am not really sure it is a good diagnosis. it was also the first time I was giving Lovenox subcu and i was really stressed at first but once it is done, i will never forget how to give meds. The book we are using at college is med-surg nursing in canada (cause i am from canada). So i have to write down 2 nursing diagnosis/priority for my patient. the first one would maybe be acute pain related to surgery for femoral fracture as evidenced by rating the pain 6/10. the second one would maybe be the deficient knowledge about mobilization.

thanks for help

Specializes in critical care.

Deficient knowledge would be a great diagnosis. She needs to understand that for intestinal mobility, strength, ease of recovery, pneumonia prevention and DVT prevention, she needs to get up and move! It sucks at first, but it is better to get up and move as early as possible. Certainly the hospital isn't going to let her go home if she can't or wont even get up and move around, if that was something she could do before admission.

Thank you very much for the quick comment :) ill take that in note!!

Specializes in critical care.

You're welcome!

There is no such approved nursing diagnosis as "Deficient knowledge about mobilization (or anything else)," though. What you're looking for is more like "Impaired bed mobility, related to deficient knowledge and pain, as evidenced by....(what do you observe?)..."

People will tell you I NEVER answer homework for you, but here I have just gone and done exactly that. I must be losing my touch. :) Now, your part of the deal is that you promise to get the book so you can do it properly yourself from here on. :)

Get the NANDA-I 2012-2014 book stat, free two-day shipping from Amazon, $29 US. It is an INTERNATIONAL reference book, so no worries about you being in Canada.

Specializes in critical care.
There is no such approved nursing diagnosis as "Deficient knowledge about mobilization (or anything else)," though. What you're looking for is more like "Impaired bed mobility, related to deficient knowledge and pain, as evidenced by....(what do you observe?)..."

People will tell you I NEVER answer homework for you, but here I have just gone and done exactly that. I must be losing my touch. :) Now, your part of the deal is that you promise to get the book so you can do it properly yourself from here on. :)

Get the NANDA-I 2012-2014 book stat, free two-day shipping from Amazon, $29 US. It is an INTERNATIONAL reference book, so no worries about you being in Canada.

The book I have (Ackley and Ladwig, Nursing Diagnosis Handbook) does have deficient knowledge in it. The related factors applicable here (as listed in the book) could be cognitive limitation, information misinterpretation, lack of exposure, lack of interest in learning, lack of recall, or unfamiliarity with information resources. I'm not sure if maybe the OP is using the same text as me or not, but I wanted to chime in with what I have here.

ETA: The way we would use this would be to say "deficient knowledge" and then we would say what the deficient knowledge was referring to, then say "r/t....", "AEB...."

Specializes in Med Surg, PCU, Travel.

mine book also has "Deficient knowledge related to lack of exposure" it wont be mobilization but you can add the rest based on e.g as evidenced by pt. questions need to ambulate or pt questions need for physical therapy....anything like that would be your evidence.

your intervention then would be to educate the pt. and your outcome would be pt. acknowledge and states understanding of need to ambulate or whatever

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

GrnTea is right...you need to have a good nursing care plan book and/or NANDA-I book to make you life SO much easier! I use Ackley and Ladwig, Nursing Diagnosis Handbook as well/

However........Deficient knowledge (specify) is a NANDA-I diagnosis......and a good one.

NANDA-I Definition

Absence or deficiency of cognitive information related to a specific topic

Defining Characteristics

Exaggerated behaviors; inaccurate follow-through of instruction; inaccurate performance of test; inappropriate behaviors (e.g., hysterical, hostile, agitated, apathetic); verbalization of the problem

Related Factors (r/t)

Cognitive limitation; information misinterpretation; lack of exposure; lack of interest in learning; lack of recall; unfamiliarity with information resources

OP remember that nursing care plans are all about the assessment of the patient and what the patient needs first according to Maslows Hierachy of Needs .....or whatever theory you use

450px-Maslow%27s_Hierarchy_of_Needs.svg.png

So looking at what information you gave.....

patient had a femoral fracture and it was her third day post op. She complains of nausea so i gave her gravol. She also reports pain 6/10 on her left hip (related to her surgery for femoral fx) and she asked me why it was so important to mobilize and do physical exercise. This is one of my dx (deficient knowledge about mobilization as evidenced by the patient doesn't want to get out of the bed) i am not really sure it is a good diagnosis. it was also the first time I was giving Lovenox subcu and i was really stressed at first but once it is done, i will never forget how to give meds. The book we are using at college is med-surg nursing in Canada (cause i am from Canada). So i have to write down 2 nursing diagnosis/priority for my patient. the first one would maybe be acute pain related to surgery for femoral fracture as evidenced by rating the pain 6/10. the second one would maybe be the deficient knowledge about mobilization.

I have highlighted important information. Look at the priority of needs.....so what is most important to this patient. She has Acute Pain, complains of Nausea (yes a NAND-I diagnosis) , she has Deficient knowledge (specify) about mobility that makes her Fearful of ambulation.

Specializes in critical care.

Esme, are you in any way in education, maybe as a preceptor, or professor? I always adore your posts in the homework help sections and, really, anywhere on AN. I could just follow you around here all day long, and I'd become a better nurse as a result of it. Love your contributions!

(OP, I apologize for the brief hijacking!)

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

Thanks :x3:.....I have always LOVED teaching and have been an educator and mentor, preceptor......But alas these days.....not any more....I am no longer "qualified". I don't have a high enough degree....sigh.

I'm glad I can help...my goal is to make nursing better every day by helping the next generation become the best nurse they can be! Follow me anytime....;)...you can always PM me too...:)

I stand corrected in one way-- there is, in fact, a "Deficient knowledge" NANDA-I diagnosis.

However, it is in Domain 5, perception/cognition, Class 4, Cognition, and its definition is, "Absence or deficiency of cognitive information related to a specific topic."

Defining characteristics (this means, these are the symptoms I assessed):

Exaggerated behaviors

Inaccurate follow-through of instruction

Inaccurate performance of test

Inappropriate behaviors (e.g., hysterical, hostile, agitated, apathetic)

Reports the problem

Related factors (this means, this is the cause of the symptoms):

Cognitive limitation

Information misinterpretation

Lack of exposure

Lack of interest in learning

Lack of recall

Unfamiliar with information resources

I am not seeing information in the OP's patient assessment that tells me this woman has a cognitive problem. Maybe she does, but you'd have to look for the related factor that says so, and describe the defining characteristics that support your assessment and diagnosis. As a reminder, just because a patient doesn't seem to you to know what you think she should doesn't necessarily mean she meets this diagnosis, given these definition/defining characteristics/ related factors specific to this diagnosis.

Not getting out of bed isn't necessarily evidence that she doesn't know why she should, so it's not reasonable to give that as evidence of a cognitive deficiency. As others have pointed out, there could be a lt of other reasons. You will find many, many patients in your career who know perfectly well what they should know, but chose not to use it or act upon it. (can I hear an AMEN from other old grads?)

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
I stand corrected in one way-- there is, in fact, a "Deficient knowledge" NANDA-I diagnosis.

However, it is in Domain 5, perception/cognition, Class 4, Cognition, and its definition is, "Absence or deficiency of cognitive information related to a specific topic."

Defining characteristics (this means, these are the symptoms I assessed):

Exaggerated behaviors

Inaccurate follow-through of instruction

Inaccurate performance of test

Inappropriate behaviors (e.g., hysterical, hostile, agitated, apathetic)

Reports the problem

Related factors (this means, this is the cause of the symptoms):

Cognitive limitation

Information misinterpretation

Lack of exposure

Lack of interest in learning

Lack of recall

Unfamiliar with information resources

I am not seeing information in the OP's patient assessment that tells me this woman has a cognitive problem. Maybe she does, but you'd have to look for the related factor that says so, and describe the defining characteristics that support your assessment and diagnosis. As a reminder, just because a patient doesn't seem to you to know what you think she should doesn't necessarily mean she meets this diagnosis, given these definition/defining characteristics/ related factors specific to this diagnosis.

Not getting out of bed isn't necessarily evidence that she doesn't know why she should, so it's not reasonable to give that as evidence of a cognitive deficiency. As others have pointed out, there could be a lt of other reasons. You will find many, many patients in your career who know perfectly well what they should know, but chose not to use it or act upon it. (can I hear an AMEN from other old grads?)

I don't know I think it does.....
she asked me why it was so important to mobilize and do physical exercise
tells me that this patient has a lack of recall (if they received pre-op teaching or any post op teaching) an inaccurate follow through of instruction...won't get OOB, just by what the OP told us.

She may not have had instruction...so she has a lack of exposure, unfamiliar with information resources given to her or lack of recall of what she has been taught.

Cognitive deficiency doesn't necessarily mean it is an it is an absence or deficiency cognitive INFORMATION not necessarily of a pathological nature.

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