Please help me w/nursing diagnosis!

[twoangels]

Oh, please someone help me. I've spent HOURS on my IW. I called my instructor to ask if my nursing diagnosis sounded correct. She didn't call me back until after I had already finished. Initially, I chose "Acute pain r/t surgical incision." She said that it would be better to say "Acute pain r/t knowledge deficit." Is that an ok way to write a diagnosis? This pt was not using the PCA correctly and was constantly rating her pain at 8/10 without pushing her button. I had to do a lot of teaching about the PCA and reassure her that she would not OD herself if she pushed it many times.

[CardioTrans, BSN, RN]

You could use "Knowledge deficit r/t Pain Control AEB incorrect use of PCA"

[twoangels]

That sounds better to me. Thanks!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

wow! your instructor gave you some wrong advice. knowledge deficit cannot be a related factor for acute pain. the etiology of acute pain must be something that is causing injury to the tissues or the body to evoke the pain. knowledge doesn't do that. if the patient is not using the pca correctly that is a knowledge deficit problem. the etiology, however, is because of an interpretation of information problem on the part of the patient. you will see these etiologies (related factors) listed for this diagnosis in the taxonomy for deficient knowledge ([color=#3366ff]deficient knowledge (specify)). the way to formulate the diagnostic statement is

• deficient knowledge, use of pca r/t misinterpretation and misunderstanding of information aeb reluctance to use pca when analgesia is needed for fear of overdosing self.