NCP for COPD

back in may of this year you asked for help with another care plan (https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/help-nursing-care-plan-generalized-edema-300023.html - help for nursing care plan for generalized edema). i told you then that you need to assess your patient and use their symptoms to determine nursing problems. you posted some of your patient's symptoms.

well, the same applies for all care plans. care plans solve problems that the patient has. whether this copd patient is real or imaginary, the first thing you need to do is assess the patient whether the patient is real or imaginary. this includes:

• a physical assessment of the patient (if this is a real patient)
  
• assessment of the patient's ability and any assistance they need to accomplish their adls (activities of daily living) with the disease (if this is a real patient; if not a real patient think about what kinds of problems the person might have)
  
• data collected from the medical record (information in the doctor's history and physical, information in the doctor's progress notes, test result information, notes by ancillary healthcare providers such as physical therapists and dietitians (if this is a real patient)
  
• knowing the pathophysiology, signs/symptoms, usual tests ordered, and medical treatment for the medical disease or condition that the patient has. this includes knowing about any medical procedures that have been performed on the patient, their expected consequences during the healing phase, and potential complications. if this information is not known, then you need to research and find it. (all real and all imaginary patients)

anything abnormal is the basis/foundation for a problem. all nursing diagnoses are problems. so abnormal data found during assessment forms the basis/foundation upon which all nursing diagnoses are built. you cannot apply any nursing diagnosis to any patient without proper evidence to support it.

to find information on copd you need to look in your nursing textbooks. if you can't find the information there, then use one of the many websites listed on the thread i'm citing below. i recommend that you start with one of the merck manuals or webmd:

• https://allnurses.com/forums/f205/medical-disease-information-treatment-procedures-test-reference-websites-258109.html - medical disease information/treatment/procedures/test reference websites

once you have a list of symptoms for the patient with copd, and if you are still having trouble figuring out how to come up with 2 nursing diagnoses from them, then

1. post the list of symptoms for me, and
   
2. i'll show you how to match the symptoms with a nursing diagnosis

for me or anyone else to just list possible nursing diagnoses for you will teach you nothing about copd or how to write a care plan.