Writing an effective nursing care plan is essential for delivering quality patient care. It requires a systematic approach to accurately identify patient needs and potential risks. This guide will walk you through the process of developing a comprehensive nursing care plan, offering a detailed database of nursing diagnoses and care plan examples for nursing students and professionals – all available for free. We’ll cover the key components, objectives, and purposes of care plans, providing you with a detailed tutorial and templates to create outstanding nursing care plans in any healthcare setting.
Table of Contents
What is a Nursing Care Plan?
A nursing care plan (NCP) is a structured, formal process that meticulously identifies a patient’s existing health needs and anticipates potential future needs or risks. It serves as a vital tool for communication among nurses, patients, and the broader healthcare team, facilitating coordinated efforts towards achieving optimal healthcare outcomes. Without a robust care planning process, the consistency and quality of patient care would be significantly compromised.
The process of nursing care planning begins upon a patient’s admission and is continuously updated to reflect changes in their condition and the ongoing evaluation of their progress towards set goals. Patient-centered, individualized care, guided by a well-developed care plan, is the cornerstone of excellent nursing practice.
Types of Nursing Care Plans
Nursing care plans can be broadly categorized as informal or formal. An informal nursing care plan is a mental strategy, a nurse’s internal roadmap for patient care. In contrast, a formal nursing care plan is a documented, written or electronic guide that organizes all relevant patient care information.
Formal care plans are further divided into standardized and individualized types. Standardized care plans offer pre-set guidelines for nursing care applicable to groups of patients with common needs. Individualized care plans are custom-tailored to address a specific patient’s unique needs, particularly those not covered by standardized plans.
Standardized Care Plans
Standardized care plans are pre-designed frameworks developed by healthcare agencies and nursing staff to ensure consistent care for patients with specific conditions. These plans ensure adherence to minimum acceptable care standards and optimize nurses’ efficiency by eliminating the need to repeatedly develop common interventions for similar patient groups.
While standardized care plans provide a valuable starting point, they are not designed to address a patient’s unique needs and goals. They often serve as a foundation for developing a more personalized individualized care plan.
The care plans presented in this guide are examples of standard care plans, intended to serve as a framework or direction for creating individualized care plans.
Individualized Care Plans
An individualized care plan involves adapting a standardized care plan to meet the specific needs and goals of each unique patient, incorporating approaches proven effective for that individual. This approach promotes more personalized and holistic care, better aligned with the patient’s unique circumstances, strengths, and objectives.
Furthermore, individualized care plans can significantly enhance patient satisfaction. When patients perceive their care as tailored to their specific requirements, they feel more valued and understood, leading to greater satisfaction with their overall healthcare experience. This is especially critical in today’s healthcare environment, where patient satisfaction is increasingly recognized as a key indicator of quality care.
Tips on how to individualize a nursing care plan:
- Thorough Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive assessment to understand the patient’s unique physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs.
- Patient Involvement: Actively involve the patient and their family in the care planning process. Incorporate their preferences, values, and goals.
- Flexibility: Be prepared to modify the standardized plan based on the patient’s evolving condition and responses to treatment.
- Specific Goals: Set patient-specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals.
- Tailored Interventions: Choose nursing interventions that are specifically suited to the individual patient’s needs and circumstances.
- Continuous Evaluation: Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of the care plan and make adjustments as needed to ensure it remains aligned with the patient’s needs and goals.
Objectives
The primary goals and objectives of developing a nursing care plan are as follows:
- To foster evidence-based nursing practice and create a comfortable and familiar environment within hospitals and health centers.
- To promote holistic care, addressing the patient as a whole person – encompassing physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions – in the management and prevention of disease.
- To establish structured care programs such as care pathways and care bundles. Care pathways encourage team collaboration to reach consensus on care standards and expected outcomes. Care bundles, in contrast, are sets of best practices related to the care of specific conditions.
- To clearly define and differentiate between goals and expected outcomes.
- To improve communication and ensure comprehensive documentation of the care plan.
- To establish metrics for measuring the effectiveness of nursing care.
Purposes of a Nursing Care Plan
The purposes and importance of creating a nursing care plan are manifold:
- Defines the Nurse’s Role. Care plans clarify the unique and independent role of nurses in addressing patients’ overall health and well-being, moving beyond a reliance solely on physician’s orders or interventions.
- Provides Direction for Individualized Patient Care. It acts as a roadmap for patient care, guiding nurses to think critically and develop interventions specifically tailored to each individual.
- Ensures Continuity of Care. Nurses across different shifts and departments can utilize the care plan to deliver consistent, high-quality interventions, maximizing the benefits of treatment for patients.
- Coordinates Care. It ensures that all members of the healthcare team are informed about the patient’s care needs and the necessary actions, preventing gaps in care and promoting a unified approach.
- Documentation. The care plan accurately documents required observations, nursing actions, and instructions for the patient and family members. Proper documentation within the care plan provides evidence that care was delivered. Undocumented care is essentially care not provided from a legal and professional standpoint.
- Guides Staff Assignment. In situations where a patient requires specialized care, the care plan helps in assigning staff with the necessary skills and expertise.
- Monitors Progress. It facilitates tracking patient progress and enables necessary adjustments to the care plan as the patient’s health status and goals evolve.
- Supports Reimbursement. Insurance companies often use medical records, including care plans, to determine coverage and reimbursement for hospital care.
- Defines Patient Goals. It empowers both nurses and patients by involving them collaboratively in the treatment and care process, ensuring patient-centered care.
Components
A comprehensive nursing care plan (NCP) typically includes nursing diagnoses, patient problems, expected outcomes, nursing interventions, and rationales. These core components are detailed below:
Care Plan Formats
Nursing care plan formats are generally organized into four columns: (1) nursing diagnoses, (2) desired outcomes and goals, (3) nursing interventions, and (4) evaluation. Some institutions use a three-column format, combining goals and evaluation into a single column. Others may use a five-column plan, adding a column for assessment cues.
Three-Column Format
The three-column plan includes columns for nursing diagnosis, outcomes & evaluation, and interventions.
Alt Text: Example of a three-column nursing care plan format, showing columns for nursing diagnosis, desired outcomes and evaluation, and nursing interventions.
Four-Column Format
This format expands to include columns for nursing diagnosis, goals & outcomes, interventions, and evaluation, providing a more detailed structure.
Alt Text: Example of a four-column nursing care plan format, showing columns for nursing diagnosis, goals and outcomes, nursing interventions, and evaluation.
Below is a downloadable document containing sample templates for various nursing care plan formats. Feel free to edit, adapt, and share these templates to suit your needs.
Download: Printable Nursing Care Plan Templates and Formats
Student Care Plans
Student care plans are typically more detailed and comprehensive than those used by practicing nurses because they serve as a crucial learning tool for nursing students.
Alt Text: Example of a student nursing care plan format, highlighting the increased detail and inclusion of rationales for interventions, essential for nursing education.
Student care plans are often required to be handwritten and include an additional column for “Rationale” or “Scientific Explanation” following the nursing interventions column. Rationales are the underlying scientific principles that justify the selection of specific nursing interventions, strengthening the student’s understanding of the care plan’s evidence base.
Writing a Nursing Care Plan
How do you create a nursing care plan (NCP)? Follow these steps to develop an effective care plan for your patient:
Step 1: Data Collection or Assessment
The first step in creating a nursing care plan is building a comprehensive patient database using various assessment techniques and data collection methods, including physical assessments, health history interviews, medical record reviews, and diagnostic studies. This patient database encompasses all collected health information. During this phase, nurses identify related or risk factors and defining characteristics that will inform the nursing diagnosis. Many healthcare institutions or nursing schools provide specific assessment formats to guide this process.
Critical thinking is paramount in patient assessment. It involves integrating knowledge from various scientific disciplines and professional guidelines to inform evaluations. This critical process is essential for complex clinical decision-making, aiming to effectively identify patients’ healthcare needs within a supportive environment using reliable information.
Step 2: Data Analysis and Organization
Once patient health information is gathered, the next step is to analyze, cluster, and organize this data. This analysis is crucial for formulating accurate nursing diagnoses, setting priorities, and defining desired outcomes.
Step 3: Formulating Your Nursing Diagnoses
Nursing diagnoses provide a standardized language for identifying, focusing on, and addressing specific patient needs and responses to actual and potential health problems. They represent actual or potential health issues that can be prevented or resolved through independent nursing interventions.
For a detailed guide on formulating nursing diagnoses, refer to this resource: Nursing Diagnosis (NDx): Complete Guide and List.
Step 4: Setting Priorities
Prioritizing involves establishing a preferential order for addressing nursing diagnoses and implementing interventions. In this step, nurses and patients collaborate to determine which identified problems require immediate attention. Diagnoses can be categorized and ranked as high, medium, or low priority. Life-threatening problems should always be assigned the highest priority.
Nursing diagnosis considers Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs as a framework for prioritizing and planning patient-centered care. Developed by Abraham Maslow in 1943, this hierarchy is based on fundamental human needs. Basic physiological needs must be met before higher-level needs, such as self-esteem and self-actualization, can be addressed. Physiological and safety needs form the foundation for nursing care and interventions. They are at the base of Maslow’s pyramid, providing the groundwork for physical and emotional well-being.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Basic Physiological Needs: These include essential needs for survival: Nutrition (water and food), elimination (toileting), airway (suction), breathing (oxygen), circulation (pulse, cardiac monitoring, blood pressure) (ABCs), sleep, sex, shelter, and exercise.
- Safety and Security Needs: These focus on physical and emotional safety: Injury prevention (side rails, call lights, hand hygiene, isolation precautions, suicide precautions, fall precautions, car seats, helmets, seat belts), fostering a climate of trust and safety (therapeutic relationships), and patient education (modifiable risk factors for stroke, heart disease).
- Love and Belonging Needs: These involve social connection and acceptance: Fostering supportive relationships, strategies to prevent social isolation (bullying), employing active listening, therapeutic communication, and addressing sexual intimacy needs.
- Self-Esteem Needs: These relate to self-respect and confidence: Acceptance within the community, workplace recognition, personal achievements, a sense of control or empowerment, and acceptance of one’s physical appearance or body image.
- Self-Actualization Needs: These represent reaching one’s full potential: Empowering environments, spiritual growth opportunities, the ability to understand diverse perspectives, and achieving personal fulfillment.
Alt Text: Visual representation of Virginia Henderson’s 14 Needs applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, illustrating the integration of fundamental nursing concepts with human needs theory.
The patient’s values, beliefs, priorities, available resources, and the urgency of the situation are critical factors nurses must consider when prioritizing care. Involving the patient in this process is crucial for fostering cooperation and adherence to the care plan.
Step 5: Establishing Client Goals and Desired Outcomes
After prioritizing nursing diagnoses, nurses and patients collaboratively set goals for each identified priority. Goals or desired outcomes articulate what the nurse aims to achieve through implementing nursing interventions derived from the patient’s nursing diagnoses. Goals provide direction for intervention planning, serve as benchmarks for evaluating patient progress, help both patient and nurse identify resolved problems, and provide motivation through a sense of accomplishment.
Alt Text: Examples of well-written goals and desired outcomes in a nursing care plan, emphasizing patient-centered, measurable, and time-bound criteria.
A single overarching goal is typically established for each nursing diagnosis. The terms “goal outcomes” and “expected outcomes” are often used interchangeably in practice.
According to Hamilton and Price (2013), effective goals should be SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-oriented.
- Specific: Goals must be clear, significant, and focused to be effective.
- Measurable or Meaningful: Measurable goals allow for progress monitoring and clear determination of goal achievement.
- Attainable or Action-Oriented: Goals should be challenging yet realistically achievable and action-focused.
- Realistic or Results-Oriented: Focus on achieving effective and successful outcomes, considering available resources and patient capabilities.
- Timely or Time-Oriented: Every goal needs a defined timeframe, creating a deadline and direction for action.
Hogston (2011) recommends using the REEPIG standards to ensure high-quality care plans: Realistic, Explicitly stated, Evidence-based, Prioritized, Involve, and Goal-centered.
- Realistic: Goals must be achievable given available resources and patient circumstances.
- Explicitly stated: Goals must be clearly and precisely worded to avoid misinterpretations of instructions.
- Evidence-based: Interventions should be supported by research and best practices.
- Prioritized: The most urgent patient problems are addressed first.
- Involve: Both the patient and relevant members of the multidisciplinary team are involved in planning and implementing care.
- Goal-centered: The planned care is directly aimed at meeting and achieving the set goals.
Short-Term and Long-Term Goals
Goals and expected outcomes must be measurable and patient-centered. They are framed around problem prevention, resolution, and rehabilitation. Goals can be categorized as short-term or long-term. In acute care settings, most goals are short-term, addressing immediate patient needs. Long-term goals are more relevant for patients with chronic conditions or those in long-term care facilities or at home.
- Short-term goal: Describes a change in patient behavior achievable within a short timeframe, typically hours or days.
- Long-term goal: Defines an objective to be achieved over a longer period, weeks or months.
- Discharge planning: Primarily involves setting long-term goals to ensure continued restorative care and problem resolution through home health services, physical therapy, or other community resources.
Components of Goals and Desired Outcomes
Goal or desired outcome statements typically include four key components: a subject, a verb, conditions or modifiers, and a criterion of desired performance.
Alt Text: Breakdown of the components of well-formulated goals and desired outcomes in nursing care plans, including subject, verb, conditions/modifiers, and criterion of performance.
- Subject: Usually the patient, a part of the patient, or a patient attribute (e.g., pulse, temperature, urinary output). Often omitted as “patient” is implied unless otherwise specified (e.g., family, significant other).
- Verb: Specifies the action the patient is expected to perform, learn, or experience.
- Conditions or modifiers: Clarify “what, when, where, or how” the behavior is to be performed, providing context.
- Criterion of desired performance: Defines the standard for evaluating performance or the level at which the patient will perform the specified behavior. This component is often optional but enhances measurability.
When writing goals and desired outcomes, nurses should adhere to these guidelines:
- Frame goals and outcomes in terms of patient responses, not nurse activities. Start each goal with “Client will […],” focusing on patient behavior and responses.
- Avoid stating goals based on what the nurse hopes to achieve; instead, focus on what the patient will do.
- Use observable, measurable terms for outcomes. Avoid vague language that requires subjective interpretation.
- Ensure desired outcomes are realistic given the patient’s resources, capabilities, limitations, and the timeframe of care.
- Verify that goals are consistent with therapies prescribed by other healthcare professionals.
- Ensure each goal is derived from only one nursing diagnosis to facilitate clear evaluation of care and ensure interventions are directly related to the diagnosis.
- Finally, ensure the patient considers the goals important and values them to promote cooperation and engagement in the care plan.
Step 6: Selecting Nursing Interventions
Nursing interventions are the specific actions a nurse performs to help patients achieve their goals. Chosen interventions should aim to eliminate or reduce the underlying cause (etiology) of the prioritized nursing problem or diagnosis. For risk diagnoses, interventions should focus on mitigating the patient’s risk factors. While interventions are identified and documented during the planning phase of the nursing process, they are actually carried out during the implementation phase.
Types of Nursing Interventions
Nursing interventions can be categorized as independent, dependent, or collaborative:
Alt Text: Diagram illustrating the three types of nursing interventions: independent, dependent, and collaborative, and their respective characteristics and examples.
- Independent nursing interventions are actions nurses are authorized to initiate based on their professional judgment and skills. These include ongoing assessments, emotional support, providing comfort, patient education, physical care, and referrals to other healthcare professionals.
- Dependent nursing interventions are actions implemented based on physician’s orders or under their supervision. This category includes administering medications, intravenous therapy, performing diagnostic tests, and implementing prescribed treatments, diets, and activity or rest regimens. Assessment and patient education related to medical orders are also dependent interventions.
- Collaborative interventions are actions nurses carry out in partnership with other healthcare team members, such as physicians, social workers, dietitians, and therapists. These interventions are developed in consultation with other professionals to incorporate their specialized perspectives and expertise into patient care.
Nursing interventions should be:
- Safe and appropriate for the patient’s age, health status, and condition.
- Achievable given available resources and time constraints.
- Consistent with the patient’s values, culture, and beliefs.
- Compatible with other therapies the patient is receiving.
- Based on nursing knowledge, experience, and evidence from relevant scientific disciplines.
When documenting nursing interventions, follow these best practices:
- Date and sign the care plan. The date of creation is crucial for evaluation, review, and future planning. The nurse’s signature signifies accountability.
- Nursing interventions should be specific and clearly worded, starting with an action verb that precisely describes the expected nurse action. Action verbs initiate the intervention and must be precise. Qualifiers specifying how, when, where, timing, frequency, and amount provide essential detail for the planned activity. Examples: “Educate parents on how to take temperature and report any changes,” or “Assess urine for color, amount, odor, and turbidity.”
- Use only abbreviations that are approved and accepted by the healthcare institution to ensure clarity and prevent errors.
Step 7: Providing Rationale
Rationales, also known as scientific explanations, justify why a particular nursing intervention was selected for the NCP.
Alt Text: Example of nursing interventions paired with their corresponding rationales in a care plan, demonstrating the scientific basis for nursing actions.
Rationales are typically included in student care plans to facilitate learning by linking pathophysiological and psychological principles to chosen nursing interventions. They are not commonly included in care plans used by practicing nurses in clinical settings.
Step 8: Evaluation
Evaluation is a systematic, ongoing, and purposeful process where patient progress toward achieving goals and desired outcomes is assessed, and the effectiveness of the nursing care plan (NCP) is determined. Evaluation is a critical component of the nursing process, as its conclusions dictate whether nursing interventions should be continued, modified, or discontinued.
Step 9: Putting it on Paper
The patient’s care plan is documented according to institutional policy and becomes a permanent part of their medical record, accessible for review by all members of the healthcare team, including oncoming nurses. Nursing programs utilize various care plan formats, most designed to guide students through the interrelated steps of the nursing process, often employing a five-column format for comprehensive documentation.
Nursing Care Plan List
This section offers a comprehensive list of sample nursing care plans (NCPs) and nursing diagnoses for a wide range of diseases and health conditions, categorized for easy navigation.
Basic Nursing and General Care Plans
General nursing care plan examples applicable across various settings:
| Basic Nursing & General Care Plans |
|---|
| Acute Confusion (Delirium) and Altered Mental Status |
| Acute Pain and Pain Management |
| Activity Intolerance and Generalized Weakness |
| Cancer (Oncology Nursing) |
| Caregiver Role Strain and Family Caregiver Support Systems |
| Chronic Confusion (Dementia) |
| End-of-Life Care (Hospice Care or Palliative) |
| Fall Risk and Fall Prevention |
| Fatigue and Lethargy |
| Geriatric Nursing (Older Adult) |
| Grieving and Loss |
| Hypothermia and Cold Injuries |
| Hyperthermia (Fever) |
| Impaired Swallowing (Dysphagia) |
| Insomnia and Sleep Deprivation |
| Prolonged Bed Rest |
| Risk for Injury and Patient Safety |
| Self-Care and Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) |
| Surgery (Perioperative Client) |
| Systemic Lupus Erythematosus |
| Total Parenteral Nutrition |
Surgery and Perioperative Care Plans
Care plans tailored for patients undergoing surgical interventions:
| Surgery and Perioperative Care Plans |
|---|
| Amputation |
| Appendectomy |
| Cholecystectomy |
| Fracture UPDATED! |
| Hemorrhoids |
| Hysterectomy |
| Ileostomy & Colostomy |
| Laminectomy (Disc Surgery) |
| Mastectomy |
| Subtotal Gastrectomy |
| Surgery (Perioperative Client) |
| Thyroidectomy |
| Total Joint (Knee, Hip) Replacement |
Cardiac Care Plans
Nursing care plans addressing conditions of the cardiovascular system:
| Cardiac Care Plans |
|---|
| Angina Pectoris (Coronary Artery Disease) |
| Cardiac Arrhythmia (Digitalis Toxicity) |
| Cardiac Catheterization |
| Cardiogenic Shock |
| Congenital Heart Disease |
| Decreased Cardiac Output & Cardiac Support |
| Heart Failure UPDATED! |
| Hypertension UPDATED! |
| Hypovolemic Shock |
| Impaired Tissue Perfusion & Ischemia |
| Myocardial Infarction |
| Pacemaker Therapy |
Endocrine and Metabolic Care Plans
Care plans for disorders related to the endocrine system and metabolism:
| Endocrine and Metabolic Care Plans |
|---|
| Addison’s Disease |
| Cushing’s Disease |
| Diabetes Mellitus (Type 1, Type 2) UPDATED! |
| Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Syndrome (HHNS) |
| Eating Disorders: Anorexia & Bulimia Nervosa |
| Fluid Volume Deficit (Dehydration & Hypovolemia) |
| Fluid Volume Excess (Hypervolemia) |
| Gestational Diabetes Mellitus |
| Hyperthyroidism |
| Hypothyroidism |
| Imbalanced Nutrition (Malnutrition) |
| Obesity & Overweight |
| Thyroidectomy |
| Unstable Blood Glucose Levels (Hyperglycemia & Hypoglycemia) |
| Acid-Base Imbalances |
|---|
| Metabolic Acidosis |
| Metabolic Alkalosis |
| Respiratory Acidosis |
| Respiratory Alkalosis |
| Electrolyte Imbalances |
|---|
| Calcium (Ca) Imbalances: Hypercalcemia and Hypocalcemia |
| Magnesium (Mg) Imbalances: Hypermagnesemia and Hypomagnesemia |
| Potassium (K) Imbalances: Hyperkalemia and Hypokalemia |
| Sodium (Na) Imbalances: Hypernatremia and Hyponatremia |
Gastrointestinal
Care plans for disorders of the gastrointestinal and digestive system:
| Gastrointestinal Care Plans |
|---|
| Appendectomy |
| Bowel Incontinence (Fecal Incontinence) |
| Cholecystectomy |
| Constipation |
| Diarrhea Nursing Care Plan and Management |
| Cholecystitis and Cholelithiasis |
| Gastroenteritis |
| Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) |
| Hemorrhoids |
| Hepatitis |
| Ileostomy & Colostomy |
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) |
| Intussusception |
| Liver Cirrhosis |
| Nausea & Vomiting |
| Pancreatitis |
| Peritonitis |
| Peptic Ulcer Disease |
| Subtotal Gastrectomy |
| Umbilical and Inguinal Hernia |
Hematologic and Lymphatic
Care plans for conditions related to the hematologic and lymphatic systems:
| Hematologic & Lymphatic Care Plans |
|---|
| Anaphylactic Shock |
| Anemia UPDATED! |
| Aortic Aneurysm |
| Bleeding Risk & Hemophilia |
| Deep Vein Thrombosis |
| Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation |
| Hemophilia |
| Kawasaki Disease |
| Leukemia |
| Lymphoma |
| Sepsis and Septicemia |
| Sickle Cell Anemia Crisis |
Infectious Diseases
Care plans for communicable and infectious diseases:
| Infectious Diseases Care Plans |
|---|
| Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) (HIV Positive) |
| Acute Rheumatic Fever |
| Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever |
| Herpes Zoster (Shingles) |
| Influenza (Flu) |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis |
| Risk for Infection & Infection Control |
Integumentary
Care plans for disorders and conditions affecting the integumentary system:
| Integumentary Care Plans |
|---|
| Burn Injury |
| Dermatitis |
| Herpes Zoster (Shingles) |
| Pressure Ulcer (Bedsores) |
| Wound Care and Skin/Tissue Integrity |
Maternal and Newborn Care Plans
Care plans for the care of pregnant mothers and newborns:
| Maternal and Newborn Care Plans |
|---|
| Abortion (Termination of Pregnancy) |
| Cervical Insufficiency (Premature Dilation of the Cervix) |
| Cesarean Birth |
| Cleft Palate and Cleft Lip |
| Gestational Diabetes Mellitus |
| Hyperbilirubinemia (Jaundice) |
| Labor Stages, Induced, Augmented, Dysfunctional, Precipitous Labor |
| Neonatal Sepsis |
| Perinatal Loss (Miscarriage, Stillbirth) |
| Placental Abruption |
| Placenta Previa |
| Postpartum Hemorrhage |
| Postpartum Thrombophlebitis |
| Prenatal Hemorrhage |
| Preeclampsia and Gestational Hypertension |
| Prenatal Infection |
| Preterm Labor |
| Puerperal & Postpartum Infections |
| Substance (Alcohol and Drug) Abuse in Pregnancy |
Mental Health and Psychiatric
Care plans for mental health and psychiatric nursing:
| Mental Health and Psychiatric Care Plans |
|---|
| Alcohol Withdrawal |
| Anxiety & Fear |
| Anxiety and Panic Disorders |
| Bipolar Disorders |
| Body Image Disturbance & Self-Esteem |
| Impaired Thought Processes & Cognitive Impairment |
| Major Depression |
| Personality Disorders |
| Schizophrenia |
| Sexual Assault |
| Substance Dependence and Abuse |
| Suicide Behaviors |
Musculoskeletal
Care plans related to the musculoskeletal system:
| Musculoskeletal Care Plans |
|---|
| Amputation |
| Congenital Hip Dysplasia |
| Fracture UPDATED! |
| Impaired Physical Mobility & Immobility |
| Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| Laminectomy (Disc Surgery) |
| Osteoarthritis |
| Osteogenic Sarcoma (Osteosarcoma) |
| Osteoporosis |
| Rheumatoid Arthritis |
| Scoliosis |
| Spinal Cord Injury |
| Total Joint (Knee, Hip) Replacement |
Neurological
Care plans for disorders of the nervous system:
| Neurological Care Plans |
|---|
| Alzheimer’s Disease UPDATED! |
| Brain Tumor |
| Cerebral Palsy |
| Cerebrovascular Accident (Stroke) UPDATED! |
| Guillain-Barre Syndrome |
| Meningitis |
| Multiple Sclerosis |
| Parkinson’s Disease |
| Seizure Disorder |
| Spinal Cord Injury |
Ophthalmic
Care plans for eye disorders:
| Ophthalmic Care Plans |
|---|
| Cataracts |
| Glaucoma |
| Macular Degeneration |
Pediatric Nursing Care Plans
Care plans for pediatric conditions and diseases:
| Pediatric Nursing Care Plans |
|---|
| Child Abuse |
| Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate |
| Dying Child |
| Febrile Seizure |
| Hospitalized Child |
| Hydrocephalus |
| Otitis Media |
| Spina Bifida |
| Tonsillitis and Adenoiditis |
Reproductive
Care plans for reproductive and sexual function disorders:
| Reproductive Care Plans |
|---|
| Cryptorchidism (Undescended Testes) |
| Hysterectomy |
| Hypospadias and Epispadias |
| Mastectomy |
| Menopause |
| Prostatectomy |
Respiratory
Care plans for respiratory system disorders:
| Respiratory Care Plans |
|---|
| Airway Clearance Therapy & Coughing |
| Apnea |
| Asthma UPDATED! |
| Aspiration Risk & Aspiration Pneumonia |
| Bronchiolitis UPDATED! |
| Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD) UPDATED! |
| Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) UPDATED! |
| Croup Syndrome |
| Cystic Fibrosis UPDATED! |
| Epiglottitis |
| Hemothorax and Pneumothorax UPDATED! |
| Ineffective Breathing Pattern (Dyspnea) |
| Impairment of Gas Exchange |
| Influenza (Flu) UPDATED! |
| Lung Cancer UPDATED! |
| Mechanical Ventilation |
| Near-Drowning |
| Pleural Effusion |
| Pneumonia |
| Pulmonary Embolism |
| Pulmonary Tuberculosis |
| Tracheostomy |
Urinary
Care plans for kidney and urinary system disorders:
| Urinary Care Plans |
|---|
| Acute Glomerulonephritis |
| Acute Renal Failure |
| Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) |
| Chronic Renal Failure |
| Hemodialysis |
| Nephrotic Syndrome |
| Peritoneal Dialysis |
| Urolithiasis (Renal Calculi) |
| Urinary Elimination (Urinary Incontinence & Urinary Retention) |
| Urinary Tract Infection |
| Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) |
| Wilms Tumor (Nephroblastoma) |
Recommended Resources
Explore these recommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources to deepen your understanding and skills.
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Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care Highly recommended for its evidence-based approach to nursing interventions. This handbook provides a simple three-step system for client assessment, nursing diagnosis, and care planning, offering step-by-step guidance on implementing care and evaluating outcomes. It is invaluable for building diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking skills.
Alt Text: Cover image of Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, highlighting its evidence-based approach and value for care planning.
Nursing Care Plans – Nursing Diagnosis & Intervention (10th Edition) Features over 200 care plans based on the latest evidence-based guidelines. This edition includes new ICNP diagnoses, care plans addressing LGBTQ health issues, and comprehensive coverage of electrolytes and acid-base balance.
Alt Text: Cover image of the 10th Edition of Nursing Care Plans – Nursing Diagnosis & Intervention book, emphasizing its updated content and comprehensive care plans.
Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationales A quick and essential reference tool for identifying correct diagnoses and efficient patient care planning. The 16th edition includes the most current nursing diagnoses and interventions, with an alphabetized listing of diagnoses covering over 400 disorders.
Alt Text: Cover image of Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationales, showcasing its quick-reference format and comprehensive diagnostic coverage.
Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care This manual helps you identify interventions for planning, individualizing, and documenting care for over 800 diseases and disorders. It uniquely provides subjective and objective data for each diagnosis, sample clinical applications, prioritized actions/interventions with rationales, and detailed documentation sections.
Alt Text: Cover image of Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care, highlighting its focus on planning, individualization, and comprehensive documentation.
All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource – E-Book: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric-Mental Health This comprehensive e-book includes over 100 care plans spanning medical-surgical, maternity/OB, pediatrics, and psychiatric and mental health nursing. Its interprofessional “patient problems” approach helps you effectively communicate with patients and across disciplines.
Alt Text: Cover image of All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource – E-Book, emphasizing its broad coverage across various nursing specialties and interprofessional approach.
References and Sources
Recommended reading materials and sources for this NCP guide:
