Possible Nursing Diagnosis for Alzheimers patient

I am doing a case presentation on Alzheimers Disease. In my report I am going to present a scenario of a patient being medically diagnosed with Alzheimers Disease. My job as the student nurse is to write out nursing diagnosis for disease.

My patient is 65 years old and lives alone in her own home. She has a son that comes by daily to check up on her. He had become more concerned because she was more forgetful and at times didn't know where she was.

She drives a vehicle and handles her own finances. Since being medically diagnosed with Alzheimers disease what are the potential risks?

I know there would be Self Care deficits. Just wondering if there is more to add.....

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[Kevin RN08]

May I suggest yet another book to add to your growing collection, Mosbey's Nursing Diagnosis Handbook or another will prove to be invaluable throughout Nursing School.

Disturbed thought processes rt chronic disorder.

Caregiver role strain rt duration and extent of required care.

Fear rt loss of self.

Impaired home maintenance rt impaired cognitive function.

Wandering rt cognitive impairment.

Chronic confusion rt Alzheimer's Dz.

Risk for injury rt confusion.

Failure to thrive rt poor reasoning, judgement, memory.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

diagnosis is based on

a s s e s s m e n t

which consists of

• a health history (review of systems) - 65 years old and lives alone in her own home. son comes by daily to check up on her and has become concerned because she was more forgetful and at times didn't know where she was.
  
• performing a physical exam
  
• assessing their adls (at minimum, the basic adls are: bathing, dressing, mobility, eating, toileting, and grooming) - she drives a vehicle and handles her own finances. these are called the instrumental activities of daily living (skills beyond basic self care that have to do with how individuals function within their homes, workplaces, and social environments).
  
• reviewing the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms and complications of their medical condition - which is alzheimer's disease:
  
  • http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimers_disease/article.htm - alzheimer's disease
    
  • http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/alzheimersdisease.html - alzheimer's disease weblinks at the nih
    
  • http://www.fpnotebook.com/neuro/cognitive/dmnt.htm - ad, thumbnail list of types/signs and symptoms/diagnostic tests
    
  • http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec16/ch213/ch213c.html - dementia
    
  • http://www.webmd.com/alzheimers/default.htm - alzheimer's health center on webmd
    
  • http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimers_disease_patient_caregiver_guide/article.htm - alzheimer's disease patient caregiver guide
    
  • http://www.medicinenet.com/alzheimers_disease_home_safety_information/article.htm - home safety for people with alzheimer's disease
    
  • http://www.fpnotebook.com/neuro/cognitive/wndrngbhvrindmnt.htm - management of wandering behavior
    

  [*]reviewing the signs, symptoms and side effects of the medications/treatments that have been ordered they are taking - you will find these listed on the websites above

then, after going through and collecting all that information, pull out and make a list of all the patient's symptoms. so far, you have (but you are going to have more):

• lives alone, drives, handles own finances
  
• getting more forgetful
  
• doesn't know where she is at times
  

the diagnoses will be based on this list of symptoms after you have done your research.