Student Ns--help with care plan for mentally retarded patient

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I am a second semester student working in Med-Surg. I had the pleasure of caring for a delightful patient this week who was profoundly retarded (her mental functioning is estimated at approximately 18 months of age). She could not communicate with me verbally or understand my conversation with her (according to her caregiver from her group home). She had pneumonia and couldn't understand "take a breath" or mimic my breathing actions.

Where would one look for information on careplans for this type of patient? I have 2 nsg dx books (Cox's and another by Gulanick and Myers) but neither touch on this area. We don't cover psychiatric at my school until 4th semester. Do I write the care plan where the intervention is aimed at the cargiver?

Thanks in advance for your assistance! :bowingpur

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

write it with what the caregivers can do for her, but how about the diagnosis reflects her breathing problems, just as it would if she didn't have mental retardation?

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Thank you so much! So many of the interventions need pt participation and so its difficult to focus on the caregiver. I will give it my best shot!

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Specializes in psych, addictions, hospice, education.

When I said include interventions the caregiver can do, I also meant the caregivers taking care of her while she's with you. You and the other staff. Actually, those interventions are more pertinent than those that might be implemented after she goes back to the group home. In care plans you must deal with what's going on NOW first rather than thinking about what happens in the future. Does that make sense?

I'm thinking diagnoses related to breathing or anxiety, if you see that she seems scared...

then interventions could be (if these fit the situation): staff will raise head of bed, perform range of motion, maintain O2 at __L per minute, touch gently, smile, medicate prn

Careplans are "fun"....soon you'll be doing them so much more easily...even in your head!

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Specializes in mental health; hangover remedies.

..and involving the carers can also help you to understand how they function at the group home.

No good setting up any regimens that are not going to be followed through once discharged.

The carers should have a method of communication already in place - tho I wouldn't be surprised if the pt was merely patronised as a 'baby'.

What is the pts real age?

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