Question about nursing diagnosis?

[DH1234]

So I have to pick a priority nursing diagnosis for my patient and I was thinking of doing ineffective health maintenance related to insufficient coping skills (b/c he drinks and smokes to cope) and insufficient financial resources as evidence by absence of interest in improving health. The patient was being discharged later that day, and he had stable vital signs all day, and no abnormal findings upon assessment. However, he does have COPD and chronic CHF but there were no signs and symptoms of this. And I know in nursing you prioritize by using ABCs but nothing was really impaired, so do you think ineffective health maintenance could be a good diagnosis especially because it is reported he doesnt take his medications at home because he can't afford them.

[TX.RN.Shannon]

Even though he wasn't showing S/S and was ready to go home, I would choose a diagnosis related to his COPD or CHF. I haven't looked over official 'nursing diagnoses' recently as I have been out of school for a minute, but I would think along the lines of his breathing pattern being impaired, impaired gas exchange, etc.

Your ideas are good and on-track, but not what I would classify as priority.