Patient Care Essay - Mental Health Nursing

[Aussie_Amy]

Hi Everyone

We've been given a patient scenario and have to select 2 priority nursing diagnoses, give a rationale for each and briefly discuss how you as an RN would address the patient's problems in general then discuss in detail how you would address the 2 priority problems you identified.

The case study is a 26 year old man with Schizophrenia (Paranoid). Basically I have gone through the scenario and I identified the following problems which are impacting on the patient's health & wellbeing:

* relationship problems with partner

* non-compliance with medication (believes he is being poisoned)

* delusions (other people tapping into his world via phone etc, partner infidelity, nurses are KGB agents)

* anorexia

I haven't done one of these before and would REALLY APPRECIATE any advice anyone can give me!! I'm finding the whole NANDA thing a bit confusing. I look up for eg Delusions and then it directs me to a list of terms... if I look those up I don't really feel as though they are really addressing the problem.

Thanks so much everyone!! I will kiss your feet for ever!!

Thanks guys,

Amy

[stressgal, RN]

Do you have a care plan book? This will really assist you with nursing dx, as well as interventions. Whenever I am working on a care plan I list the problems, real and potential. Then I prioritize, use your ABC's and Maslow for this. Then you come up with a goal for your patient. This should be specific and measurable. Next you can list your interventions, long term and short term, we are also required to list the scientific rationale.

So find you clients physiological needs that are not being met, address these, what goal could we make for the client, how are we going to reach that goal. That's pretty much it.

Off the top of my head, I would thing someone who is non-compliant and schizophrenic would have safety issues. A possible nursing diagnosis may be Risk for injury related to altered mental status. A goal would be Client does not harm self during hospitalization. Interventions could be Nurse will do safety check q hour. Get the idea?

Once again a good care plan book really does help. There is a great web page, you can search allnurses posts as I know it was posted at one time.

Good luck!