writing a nursing diagnosis for contracture

[Chribri]

Hey guys.

I am attempting to write a care plan for my patient this week and am finding that the care plan reference I have is lacking in one area. All references to contracture are limited to nursing interventions to avoid them. There are no interventions for patients who are already contracted nor is there any mention of how to diagnose it. I have written up this diagnosis statement:

Immobility of distal limbs R/T contracture as evidenced by rigidity of hands and feet and limited ROM of ankle

But I am pretty green (this is only my second care plan) and am unsure if this is at all correct. My concern is wether I should list contracture as the etiology or the problem & if I can use that language (or is contracture a medical diagnosis). Feel free to pick it apart for any other problems you notice as well, I could use the help. Thank you

[Jonathank]

Look up "impaired physical mobility" in your NDX book.

[Chribri]

I have impaired physical mobility already listed as one of my Dx. My issue is with how I would properly document the presence of contracture. My NDX book only lists contracture as a problem to avoid (as the rational for performing nursing interventions) it does not make any mention of how to document an already present contracture

[Jonathank]

Contracture is a NANDA-approved related factor for that NDX. I'd go with an NDX statement that looks something like this: "Impaired physical mobility r/t contractures aeb limited range of motion". It sounds a little repetitive, but that seems to fit the patient's situation.

[Chribri]

Thank you so much. That sounds perfect. For some reason the only place the term contracture appears in the Sparks and Taylors Dx manual is in the expected outcomes and interventions.