Care plan for neonate

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2009

every nursing diagnosis just like every medical diagnosis has a list of patient behaviors called cues or symptoms that we can observe and are characteristic of that specific nursing problem. nanda calls these cues or symptoms defining characteristics. a related group of cues and symptoms (defining characteristics) becomes a specific nursing problem and is given a label called a nursing diagnosis.

significant bruising of forehead is one of your patient's cues or symptoms of a nursing problem. a bruise is a skin injury where there is discoloration of the subcutaneous tissue because of blood that has escaped from vessels and gone into the surrounding tissue. the medical term for bruising is ecchymosis. what is the cause of this? it is needed to determine the related factor of your nursing diagnostic statement. were forceps used in the delivery of this baby? if so, then this would be a traumatic injury.

nanda lists 5 nursing diagnoses for tissue integrity. one of them applies here. i will list them, but i think you will recognize which one is correct once you know the definition of a bruise. make sure you find out what the underlying cause (why) this bruise occurred because that will be your related factor (r/t) part of your diagnostic statement.

impaired dentition
impaired oral mucous membrane
impaired skin integrity
risk for impaired skin integrity
impaired tissue integrity

if she is under a bililight for jaundice she is at risk for injury r/t phototherapy

to see more on how to construct a care plan and determine nursing diagnoses, see this sticky thread in the general nursing student discussion forum which has many examples of how to determine a nursing diagnosis, including ones for newborns: https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/help-care-plans-286986.html - help with care plans

Jleighw · Jun 22, 2009

Thank you! The information you shared with me was a great help, and makes perfect sense, I was having trouble with where to start.