Nursing Dx

[Kidagora]

Does this diagnosis sound correct?

Risk for unstable blood Glucose r/t infection AEB elevated WBC count, and glucose >180.

Doing a care plan for a patient. In all the books I've noticed deficient knowledge, dietary intake, management, etc. as risk factors but nothing specifically on infection. There is one about "physical health status" but I thought that's too vague. I know DM II affects immunity which can lead to infection. And I know infection, as a stressor, elevates glucose levels. Is stressor a more appropriate risk factor?

Risk for unstable blood Glucose r/t physical health status????

Also, some professors are suggesting that a "risk" diagnosis needs no AEB. Is this true?

[chicklet74]

Risk diagnosis don't have any manifestations (AEB) because they haven't occurred yet, therefore, there is no "evidence" that they exist, although the risk is there. You can use the infection as your r/t, but you just can't use the AEB. You can also use the physical health status (I like that one better) but I think either would work.

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

just take out "risk for" and have it say "unstable blood glucose r/t infection............."

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Risk for unstable blood Glucose r/t physical health status is what the taxonomy suggests, but to customize the diagnosis I would not use the word "infection" because that is more of a medical diagnosis. Instead, I would use Risk for unstable blood Glucose r/t infectious process.

AEBs (signs and symptoms) are not included with "Risk for" diagnoses because these are potential problems that have not occurred yet so no symptoms exist. An elevated WBC count would not be a symptom of Unstable Blood Glucose anyway because its referring to blood glucose readings. Risk for Unstable Glucose is referring to blood sugars that go up and down and are unstable, not just one high blood glucose reading.

[Kidagora]

That makes sense. Thanks!

The risk/AEB advice came from a med/surg teacher but our psych teacher argued against it frequently using AEB in every diagnosis she would cite. Students in class raised the question but.....the cross-chatter gets confusing.

Everything seems to be very "by the book" so when I don't see a "unstable blood glucose" diagnosis anywhere in our textbooks, I'm hesitant to use it.

Thanks again!