Help with a case study/ nursing diagnosis

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hello this is my first post to the boards. i hope i have posted in the correct place. i'm needing some advice/help with a case study.

i have to come up with 3 nursing diagnosis. i need one long term and 3 short term goals. the pt has just been diagnosed with prostate cancer. all of his labs are normal except for an slightly elevated psa and his biopsy is positive for prostate cancer. the case study states that he is feeling fine and has no other complaints until her returns for his follow up visit 6 months later reporting that he can get an erection but is unable to maintain it for sexual relations. i came up with:

sexual dysfunction r/t altered body structure aeb pt states he has difficulty maintaining an erection.

risk for anxiety r/t change in health status secondary to patient received the diagnosis of prostate cancer.

risk for body image disturbance r/t illness treatment.

my question is... are these appropriate diagnosis based on the case study info or am i way off?

any help would be appreciated. thanks

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

I think some of your diagnoses may be OK, but I believe that you need to be more specific and careful about your related factors. Read the scenario carefully. How do you know he has altered body structure or that there is illness and going to be treatment? He was diagnosed with the cancer 6 months ago and is now returning with symptoms. What's up with that? Do you think the patient was told about treatment and prognosis 6 months ago and refused them? Is there some denial? Some Ineffective Health Maintenance or Ineffective Coping going on? Some teaching needed here?

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Sexual dysfunction r/t altered body structure AEB pt states he has difficulty maintaining an erection...This is a proper nursing diagnosis.

Risk for Anxiety r/t change in health status secondary to patient received the diagnosis of prostate cancer...This is a proper nursing diagnosis.

Risk for body image disturbance related to illness treatment...Though this is a proper nursing diagnosis, I recommend the use of more specific terminology. Replace related to illness with terminology such as related to pathologic condition. Replace R/T treatment with terminology such as prescribed treatments, medications, therapies.

Good Luck.

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wow i was not expecting such a quick reply!! thanks for the help. my confusion does come with the vagueness of the case study. for example my instructor asked us in the case study to list 5 common medications that this pt might be taking. i know that there are nursing diagnoses that can come from some of the meds. such as risk for injury because of dizziness being a side effect of the meds. but i'm not sure if i can use that as a diagnosis because i'm not sure if he is taking that med. so i am trying to stick with just the scenario she gave. i'm thinking that he must have had treatment because one of the side effects of the treatment of prostate cancer is ed.

i know that he has ed so i'm trying to take my risks from just what i know. my opinion is that these are not the first diagnosis i would come up with if i had more info to go on.

one more question would i state the goals the same for the risk diagnosis the same as if they were actual diagnosis? my goals for the anxiety are

long term goal- client will be free from anxiety for the duration of the disease.

short term- client will identify and verbalize symptoms of anxiety by the end of the day.

short term-client will identify, verbalize and demonstrate techniques to control anxiety by the end of the day.

short term- client will have vital signs that reflect baseline or decreased sympathetic stimulation by the end of the day.

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Sexual dysfunction r/t altered body structure AEB pt states he has difficulty maintaining an erection...This is a proper nursing diagnosis.

Risk for Anxiety r/t change in health status secondary to patient received the diagnosis of prostate cancer...This is a proper nursing diagnosis.

Risk for body image disturbance related to illness treatment...Though this is a proper nursing diagnosis, I recommend the use of more specific terminology. Replace related to illness with terminology such as related to pathologic condition. Replace R/T treatment with terminology such as prescribed treatments, medications, therapies.

Good Luck.

Thanks for the quick reply. I can see how that is not very specific.

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

go over to http://www.cancer.gov/ - national cancer institute and go to the page for prostate cancer. there will be an online booklet for prostate cancer and look at the signs and symptoms as well as the treatment. my brother had ca of the prostate. had a lot of biopsies and psas before they finally did surgery and took the thing out. it's a slow growing cancer. but read about it. don't automatically assume that sexual dysfunction is the only problem. urinary incontinence is another big problem for them. also that stop and go urinating that men get due to enlargement of the prostate around the urethra. those needle biopsies hurt and are no picnic for them no matter how much local anesthesia they are given.

i just happened on be online when you posted, but i am going off very shortly.

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go over to http://www.cancer.gov/ - national cancer institute and go to the page for prostate cancer. there will be an online booklet for prostate cancer and look at the signs and symptoms as well as the treatment. my brother had ca of the prostate. had a lot of biopsies and psas before they finally did surgery and took the thing out. it's a slow growing cancer. but read about it. don't automatically assume that sexual dysfunction is the only problem. urinary incontinence is another big problem for them. also that stop and go urinating that men get due to enlargement of the prostate around the urethra. those needle biopsies hurt and are no picnic for them no matter how much local anesthesia they are given.

i just happened on be online when you posted, but i am going off very shortly.

thanks daytonite. i have read your post to other students. i know you know your stuff. i will go and read that web page. again thanks:)

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Specializes in ICU/CICU.

Maybe a diagnosis of Risk for depression r/t diagnosis of prostate cancer might work?

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