Diarrhea rt adverse effects of medications >>> outcome?

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2013

You really need to get a care plan book...they are worth their weight in gold. Outcomes are clearly listed in them. The expectation that the patient will have no more than 1 bowel movement per shift and of normal consistency is s reasonable expectation and really not so funny when patients are dehydrated and raw from excessive stools.

Think about what else becomes abnormal when a patient suffers dehydration. What happens when a patient has diarrhea? What happens to the electrolyte/acid base and fluid balances?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Apr 2, 2013

What do you worry about when a patient has diarrhea? Why is it a concern?

Katie71275 · Apr 2, 2013

I agree, you need to think about what is happening due to the pt having diarrhea...what are they at risk for?

RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN · Apr 2, 2013

My nursing diagnosis book by Sparks & Taylor makes care plans soooo much easier!

mlauren · Apr 4, 2013

Thanks for the advice guys. I already had risk for deficient fluid volume and electrolyte imbalance and impaired skin integrity listed on my POC. My patient had no signs of these, so diarrhea was listed before them. But I didn't forget to include them as risk for Dx. Turns out the patient didn't even have diarrhea. She had a history of diarrhea and it was listed on the chart as a current problem. So anyways, I was only trying to come up with a better, more measurable outcome for that. Also, I don't think it's funny at all that the patient had diarrhea (or so I thought). I just thought it was a kind of silly sounding outcome. But guess not. Thanks again!

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 4, 2013

mlauren Turns out the patient didn't even have diarrhea. She had a history of diarrhea and it was listed on the chart as a current problem.

This is what I mean that he care plans are all about the patient assessment although it seems that schools are forgetting that little fact and that is what is making it so difficult for student to get the hang of them.

mlauren Also, I don't think it's funny at all that the patient had diarrhea (or so I thought). I just thought it was a kind of silly sounding outcome. But guess not.

For most people .....yes. For nurses?......well lets just say we look at things differently. :shy:

Your right...it does sound weird that someones goal for the day is formed stool.....

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2013

Thanks for the advice guys. I already had risk for deficient fluid volume and electrolyte imbalance and impaired skin integrity listed on my POC. My patient had no signs of these, so diarrhea was listed before them. But I didn't forget to include them as risk for Dx. Turns out the patient didn't even have diarrhea. She had a history of diarrhea and it was listed on the chart as a current problem. So anyways, I was only trying to come up with a better, more measurable outcome for that. Also, I don't think it's funny at all that the patient had diarrhea (or so I thought). I just thought it was a kind of silly sounding outcome. But guess not. Thanks again!

Aha. Now, does that tell you about trying to write a diagnosis without doing an actual full assessment? I hope you never make that mistake again.

See, learning to write nursing diagnoses and care plans is preparing you for the real world of work. I know perfectly well that the kinds of care plans you write for school, as teaching tools, are not what you will write as a grad. But by god you have just learned what we know: that writing a nursing plan of care for the patient in the bed that has nothing to do with the patient in the bed is futile, a waste of time, and, worst, does not address a very real patient's very real needs. It's lazy.

THAT's why you learn to do it properly, so you won't be thinking that generic assumption-based care planning is an ok way to think like a nurse.