3-column nursing care plan format
3-column nursing care plan format

Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention Guide for Effective Patient Care

Crafting effective nursing care plans is a cornerstone of quality patient care. This guide provides a comprehensive understanding of how to develop and utilize nursing care plans, with a specific focus on nursing diagnoses and interventions. Whether you are a student nurse or a seasoned professional, mastering the art of care planning is essential for delivering patient-centered and evidence-based care. This resource will walk you through the process, offering insights into the components, objectives, and practical application of nursing care plans to enhance patient outcomes.

Understanding Nursing Care Plans

A nursing care plan (NCP) is a structured framework used by nurses to identify patient needs, potential risks, and outline a tailored approach to care. It serves as a vital communication tool among healthcare providers, ensuring consistent and coordinated care delivery. The primary goal of a nursing care plan is to achieve optimal patient health outcomes by proactively addressing identified needs and potential problems. Without a well-defined care plan, the consistency and quality of patient care can be significantly compromised.

The process of developing a nursing care plan begins upon patient admission and is a dynamic, ongoing process. It is continuously updated in response to changes in the patient’s condition and the evaluation of progress towards established goals. This individualized approach to care planning is fundamental to excellence in nursing practice, ensuring that each patient receives the specific attention and interventions they require.

Types of Nursing Care Plans: Standardized vs. Individualized

Nursing care plans can be broadly classified into two categories: informal and formal. An informal nursing care plan is an unwritten strategy that a nurse mentally formulates. In contrast, a formal nursing care plan is documented, either in writing or electronically, providing a structured guide for patient care.

Formal care plans are further divided into standardized and individualized plans. Standardized care plans are pre-designed guides that outline nursing care for patients with common needs or conditions. Individualized care plans, on the other hand, are customized to address the unique needs of a specific patient, particularly those needs not covered by standardized plans.

Standardized Care Plans: Ensuring Consistent Care

Standardized care plans are developed by nursing staff and healthcare organizations to ensure that patients with similar conditions receive a consistent level of care. They establish a baseline for acceptable care standards and improve efficiency by eliminating the need to create common interventions repeatedly for multiple patients within a nursing unit.

While standardized care plans offer a valuable starting point, they are not designed to address the specific needs and goals of each patient. They serve as a foundation upon which individualized care plans can be built.

The care plans discussed in this guide are standardized care plans, intended to provide a framework for developing individualized plans.

Individualized Care Plans: Tailoring Care to Patient Needs

An individualized care plan is created by adapting a standardized care plan to meet the specific requirements and goals of an individual patient. This involves selecting interventions known to be effective for that particular patient and their unique circumstances. This approach fosters more personalized and holistic care, aligning with the patient’s individual strengths, needs, and goals.

Furthermore, individualized care plans can significantly enhance patient satisfaction. When patients perceive that their care is tailored to their specific needs, they are more likely to feel valued and understood, leading to greater satisfaction with their overall healthcare experience. In today’s healthcare environment, where patient satisfaction is a key indicator of quality, individualized care planning is increasingly important.

Tips for Individualizing Nursing Care Plans:

  • Thorough Assessment: Conduct a comprehensive assessment to identify the patient’s unique physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs.
  • Patient Involvement: Actively involve the patient and their family in the care planning process to understand their preferences and goals.
  • Flexibility: Be prepared to modify the standardized plan based on the patient’s evolving condition and responses to interventions.
  • Evidence-Based Interventions: Select nursing interventions that are supported by research and best practices for the patient’s specific needs.
  • Realistic Goals: Set achievable and realistic goals in collaboration with the patient, considering their current health status and prognosis.

Objectives of Nursing Care Plans

The primary objectives of developing nursing care plans are multifaceted and aim to improve both the quality and efficiency of patient care:

  • Promote Evidence-Based Care: To ensure nursing care is grounded in the best available evidence and creates a comfortable and familiar environment within healthcare settings.
  • Support Holistic Care: To address the patient as a whole person, considering their physical, psychological, social, and spiritual dimensions in the management and prevention of illness.
  • Establish Care Pathways and Bundles: To develop structured approaches to care, such as care pathways (team consensus on care standards and outcomes) and care bundles (best practices for specific conditions).
  • Define Goals and Expected Outcomes: To clearly identify and differentiate between broad goals and specific, measurable expected outcomes for patient care.
  • Enhance Communication and Documentation: To improve communication among the healthcare team and provide a clear record of the planned and delivered care.
  • Measure Nursing Care Effectiveness: To provide a framework for evaluating the impact and effectiveness of nursing interventions.

Purposes and Importance of Nursing Care Plans

Nursing care plans serve several critical purposes that underscore their importance in modern healthcare:

  • Defines the Nurse’s Role: Care plans clarify the unique and independent role of nurses in addressing patients’ overall health and well-being, beyond simply following physician orders.
  • Provides Direction for Individualized Care: They act as a roadmap for patient care, guiding nurses in critical thinking to develop interventions specifically tailored to each patient’s needs.
  • Ensures Continuity of Care: By documenting the care plan, nurses across different shifts and departments can provide consistent, high-quality interventions, maximizing the benefits of treatment for patients.
  • Coordinates Care: Care plans ensure that all members of the healthcare team are informed about the patient’s needs and the necessary actions, preventing gaps in care and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.
  • Documentation and Accountability: Care plans serve as documentation of planned care, outlining observations, nursing actions, and patient/family instructions. Accurate documentation in the care plan provides evidence that care was provided.
  • Guides Staff Assignment: In situations where patients require specialized skills, care plans assist in assigning appropriate staff members with the necessary expertise.
  • Monitors Patient Progress: They facilitate the tracking of patient progress and enable necessary adjustments to the care plan as the patient’s condition and goals evolve.
  • Supports Reimbursement: Insurance companies often utilize medical records, including care plans, to determine reimbursement for hospital care.
  • Defines Patient Goals and Engagement: Care plans benefit both nurses and patients by actively involving patients in their treatment and care decisions.

Key Components of a Nursing Care Plan

A typical nursing care plan (NCP) includes several essential components, most notably nursing diagnoses, patient problems, expected outcomes, nursing interventions, and rationales. Understanding these components is crucial for developing comprehensive and effective care plans.

Care Plan Formats: Organizing Patient Information

Nursing care plan formats are generally structured using columns to organize information logically. Common formats include three-column and four-column plans. Some agencies may also use five-column plans that incorporate assessment cues.

Three-Column Format: Concise and Efficient

The three-column format includes columns for:

  1. Nursing Diagnosis: Identifies the patient’s health problem based on assessment data.
  2. Outcomes and Evaluation: States the desired patient outcomes and provides space for evaluating goal achievement.
  3. Interventions: Lists the nursing actions to be implemented to achieve the desired outcomes.

Three-column nursing care plan format

Four-Column Format: Detailed and Comprehensive

The four-column format expands on the three-column format by separating outcomes and evaluation into distinct columns:

  1. Nursing Diagnosis: Clearly states the identified nursing diagnosis.
  2. Goals and Outcomes: Specifies both broad goals and measurable outcomes for patient care.
  3. Interventions: Details the specific nursing interventions to be implemented.
  4. Evaluation: Provides a dedicated column for documenting the evaluation of goal achievement.

Four-column nursing care plan template

Sample templates for various nursing care plan formats are available for download and customization:

Download: Printable Nursing Care Plan Templates and Formats

Student Care Plans: Enhanced Learning and Detail

Student care plans are typically more extensive and detailed than those used by practicing nurses. This is because they serve as a learning tool for nursing students, helping them develop critical thinking and care planning skills.

Student nursing care plans are more detailed.

Often, student care plans are handwritten and include an additional column for “Rationale” or “Scientific Explanation” following the nursing interventions column. Rationales are scientific principles that justify the selection of specific nursing interventions, reinforcing the evidence-based approach to care.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Nursing Care Plan

Creating a robust nursing care plan involves a systematic, step-by-step approach. Here is a detailed guide to help you develop effective care plans for your patients:

Step 1: Data Collection and Patient Assessment

The initial step in care plan development is creating a comprehensive patient database. This involves utilizing various assessment techniques and data collection methods, including:

  • Physical Assessment: Conducting a thorough physical assessment to gather objective data about the patient’s current health status.
  • Health History: Obtaining a detailed health history to understand the patient’s past medical conditions, treatments, and relevant lifestyle factors.
  • Patient Interview: Interviewing the patient to gather subjective data about their symptoms, concerns, and perceptions of their health.
  • Medical Records Review: Reviewing the patient’s medical records for existing diagnoses, treatment history, and other pertinent information.
  • Diagnostic Studies: Analyzing results from diagnostic tests and procedures to gain a deeper understanding of the patient’s condition.

A complete patient database encompasses all collected health information. This step is critical for identifying related or risk factors and defining characteristics that will be used to formulate accurate nursing diagnoses. Some healthcare facilities or nursing schools may provide specific assessment formats to guide this process.

Critical thinking is paramount during patient assessment. It involves integrating knowledge from various scientific disciplines and professional guidelines to inform sound evaluations. This process is essential for complex clinical decision-making, aiming to effectively identify patient healthcare needs within a supportive environment and utilizing reliable information.

Step 2: Data Analysis and Organization

Once patient data is collected, the next step is to analyze, cluster, and organize this information. This process is crucial for formulating nursing diagnoses, establishing priorities, and defining desired patient outcomes. Look for patterns and relationships in the data to identify significant health problems and needs.

Step 3: Formulating Nursing Diagnoses

Nursing diagnoses are standardized statements that describe a patient’s health problems or conditions that nurses are qualified and licensed to treat. They provide a uniform language for identifying and addressing specific patient needs and responses to actual and potential health issues. Nursing diagnoses focus on problems that can be prevented or resolved through independent nursing interventions.

For a detailed guide on formulating nursing diagnoses, refer to: Nursing Diagnosis (NDx): Complete Guide and List.

Step 4: Setting Priorities

Setting priorities involves establishing an order of importance for addressing nursing diagnoses and interventions. In this step, the nurse collaborates with the patient to determine which identified problems require immediate attention. Diagnoses are often ranked as high, medium, or low priority. Life-threatening problems are always assigned the highest priority.

Prioritization in nursing care is often guided by Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This framework, developed by Abraham Maslow, organizes human needs into a hierarchical pyramid, with basic physiological needs at the base and self-actualization at the peak. According to Maslow, basic physiological needs must be met before higher-level needs can be addressed.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Nursing Care

  • Basic Physiological Needs: These are the most fundamental needs, including:

    • Nutrition (water and food)
    • Elimination (toileting)
    • Airway, Breathing, Circulation (ABCs) – ensuring patent airway (suction if needed), adequate breathing (oxygen therapy if necessary), and stable circulation (monitoring pulse, cardiac function, blood pressure)
    • Sleep and rest
    • Sex
    • Shelter
    • Exercise
  • Safety and Security Needs: Once physiological needs are met, safety and security become paramount. These include:

    • Injury prevention (side rails, call lights, hand hygiene, isolation precautions, suicide precautions, fall prevention measures, car seats, helmets, seat belts)
    • Creating a climate of trust and safety (therapeutic relationship)
    • Patient education on safety and preventative measures (e.g., modifiable risk factors for stroke, heart disease)
  • Love and Belonging Needs: Addressing the need for connection and social interaction:

    • Fostering supportive relationships
    • Strategies to prevent social isolation (addressing issues like bullying)
    • Employing active listening techniques and therapeutic communication
    • Addressing needs related to sexual intimacy
  • Self-Esteem Needs: Focusing on the patient’s sense of self-worth and accomplishment:

    • Promoting acceptance within the community and workplace
    • Supporting personal achievement
    • Enhancing a sense of control or empowerment
    • Encouraging acceptance of one’s physical appearance or body image
  • Self-Actualization Needs: The highest level of needs, focusing on personal growth and fulfillment:

    • Providing an empowering environment
    • Supporting spiritual growth
    • Developing the ability to understand diverse perspectives
    • Facilitating the patient in reaching their maximum potential

Virginia Henderson’s 14 Needs as applied to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Learn more about it here.

When setting priorities, nurses must also consider the patient’s health values, beliefs, available resources, and the urgency of the situation. Involving the patient in this process enhances their cooperation and commitment to the care plan.

Step 5: Establishing Patient Goals and Desired Outcomes

After prioritizing nursing diagnoses, the nurse and patient collaborate to set goals for each priority. Goals or desired outcomes describe the intended results of nursing interventions, reflecting what the nurse hopes to achieve based on the patient’s nursing diagnoses. Goals provide direction for planning interventions, serve as criteria for evaluating patient progress, help determine problem resolution, and motivate both the patient and nurse by offering a sense of accomplishment.

Examples of goals and desired outcomes. Notice how they’re formatted and written.

Typically, one overall goal is established for each nursing diagnosis. The terms “goal outcomes” and “expected outcomes” are often used interchangeably.

Effective goals should adhere to the SMART criteria: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-oriented.

  • Specific: Goals should be clear, significant, and focused to be effective.
  • Measurable: Goals should be quantifiable to allow for progress monitoring and determination of achievement.
  • Attainable: Goals should be challenging yet achievable, promoting patient motivation and success.
  • Realistic: Goals should be practical and achievable given the patient’s resources, limitations, and overall situation.
  • Time-Oriented: Goals should include a specific timeframe for achievement, creating a sense of urgency and focus.

Additionally, the REEPIG standards can further guide goal setting to ensure high-quality care: Realistic, Explicitly stated, Evidence-based, Prioritized, Involve (patient and team), and Goal-centered.

Short-Term and Long-Term Goals

Goals and expected outcomes must be measurable and patient-centered. They should focus on 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 common for patients with chronic conditions or those in long-term care facilities.

  • Short-term goal: Describes an achievable change in patient behavior or status that can be accomplished relatively quickly, usually within hours or days.
  • Long-term goal: Indicates an objective to be achieved over a more extended period, typically weeks or months.
  • Discharge planning: Often involves defining long-term goals to ensure continued restorative care and problem resolution through home health services, physical therapy, or other referrals.

Components of Well-Formulated Goals and Desired Outcomes

Goal and desired outcome statements usually consist of four key components:

Components of goals and desired outcomes in a nursing care plan.

  • Subject: The recipient of the goal, typically the patient, or a specific aspect of the patient (e.g., pulse rate, temperature, urinary output). Often, the subject is implied as the patient 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 the “what, when, where, or how” of the expected behavior, providing context to the verb.
  • Criterion of Desired Performance: Indicates the standard for evaluating performance or the level at which the patient will perform the specified behavior. This component is optional but enhances measurability.

Tips for Writing Effective Goals and Desired Outcomes:

  1. Frame goals and outcomes in terms of patient responses, not nursing activities. Start each goal with “Client will […]” to focus on patient behavior and outcomes.
  2. Avoid stating goals as what the nurse hopes to achieve; instead, focus on what the patient will do.
  3. Use observable and measurable terms for outcomes. Avoid vague language that requires subjective interpretation.
  4. Ensure desired outcomes are realistic, considering the patient’s resources, capabilities, limitations, and the timeframe for care.
  5. Verify that goals are compatible with therapies prescribed by other healthcare professionals.
  6. 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.
  7. Confirm that the patient considers the goals important and values them to promote engagement and cooperation.

Step 6: Selecting Nursing Interventions

Nursing interventions are the specific actions or activities that nurses perform to help patients achieve their goals. Interventions should be chosen to address the root cause (etiology) of the prioritized nursing diagnosis. For risk diagnoses, interventions should focus on reducing the patient’s risk factors. While nursing 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:

Types of nursing interventions in a care plan.

  • Independent Nursing Interventions: These are actions that nurses are authorized to initiate based on their professional judgment and skills. They include:

    • Ongoing patient assessment
    • Emotional support
    • Providing comfort measures
    • Patient education
    • Physical care
    • Referrals to other healthcare professionals
  • Dependent Nursing Interventions: These are actions carried out under the orders or supervision of a physician or other authorized healthcare provider. They include:

    • Administering medications
    • Providing intravenous therapy
    • Performing diagnostic tests
    • Implementing specific treatments, diets, and activity or rest orders.
    • Patient assessment and explanation related to medical orders are also dependent interventions.
  • Collaborative Interventions: These are actions that nurses implement in partnership with other members of the healthcare team, such as physicians, social workers, dietitians, and therapists. These interventions are developed through consultation to integrate diverse professional perspectives.

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 relevant scientific principles.

Tips for Writing Effective Nursing Interventions:

  1. Date and sign the care plan. Dating the plan is essential for tracking, reviewing, and future planning. The nurse’s signature indicates accountability.
  2. Nursing interventions should be specific and clearly stated, beginning with an action verb that indicates the expected nurse action. Action verbs should be precise. Qualifiers such as “how,” “when,” “where,” “time,” “frequency,” and “amount” provide essential details of the planned activity. Examples: “Educate parents on how to take temperature and when to report changes,” or “Assess urine for color, amount, odor, and turbidity every shift.”
  3. Use only abbreviations that are approved by the healthcare institution.

Step 7: Providing Rationale for Interventions

Rationales, also known as scientific explanations, are crucial for student care plans. They explain the scientific basis for each nursing intervention, linking the intervention to underlying pathophysiological and psychological principles.

Sample nursing interventions and rationale for a care plan (NCP)

Rationales are typically included in student care plans to help students connect theoretical knowledge with practical nursing actions. They are less commonly included in care plans used by practicing nurses in clinical settings.

Step 8: Evaluation of the Care Plan

Evaluation is a systematic, ongoing, and purposeful process to assess the patient’s progress toward achieving the established goals and desired outcomes. It also evaluates the effectiveness of the nursing care plan (NCP). Evaluation is a critical component of the nursing process because its findings determine whether to continue, modify, or terminate specific nursing interventions.

Step 9: Documenting the Nursing Care Plan

The completed patient care plan is documented according to hospital policy and becomes part of the patient’s permanent medical record. This documentation ensures that the care plan is accessible to all members of the healthcare team, particularly oncoming nurses. Nursing programs and healthcare facilities may have different preferred care plan formats, often utilizing a structured format like the five-column plan to systematically guide students through the nursing process.

Comprehensive Nursing Care Plan List

This section presents a categorized list of sample nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnoses for various diseases and health conditions, providing a valuable resource for nurses.

Basic Nursing and General Care Plans

These miscellaneous care plans are fundamental to general patient care and address a range of common nursing needs:

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

These care plans are designed for patients undergoing surgical intervention and cover pre-operative and post-operative nursing care:

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 focused on diseases 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

Nursing care plans (NCP) 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

Care plans (NCP) covering 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

Care plans related to the hematologic and lymphatic system:

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

NCPs 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

Care plans addressing 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

Nursing care plans for the care of pregnant mothers and their infants. See care plans for maternity and obstetric nursing:

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

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

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

Nursing care plans (NCP) for disorders related to 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

Care plans relating to eye disorders:

Ophthalmic Care Plans
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Macular Degeneration

Pediatric Nursing Care Plans

Nursing care plans (NCP) 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

Care plans related to reproductive and sexual function disorders:

Reproductive Care Plans
Cryptorchidism (Undescended Testes)
Hysterectomy
Hypospadias and Epispadias
Mastectomy
Menopause
Prostatectomy

Respiratory Care Plans

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

Care plans related to the 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 for Nursing Care Planning

Enhance your nursing care planning skills with these recommended resources:

Disclosure: Affiliate links from Amazon are included below at no additional cost to you. We may earn a small commission from your purchase. For more information, please see our privacy policy.

Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care
This handbook is invaluable due to its evidence-based approach to nursing interventions. It offers a simple three-step system to guide you through patient assessment, nursing diagnosis, and care plan creation. It includes step-by-step instructions for implementing care and evaluating outcomes, helping you develop diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Nursing Care Plans – Nursing Diagnosis & Intervention (10th Edition)
This resource features over two hundred care plans based on the latest evidence-based guidelines. New additions in this edition include ICNP diagnoses, care plans on LGBTQ health issues, and electrolyte and acid-base balance.

Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationales
This quick-reference tool provides essential information for identifying accurate diagnoses and planning efficient patient care. The sixteenth edition includes the most current nursing diagnoses and interventions, with an alphabetized listing of nursing diagnoses covering over 400 disorders.

Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care
This manual helps you identify interventions to plan, personalize, and document care for more than 800 diseases and disorders. It uniquely offers subjective and objective data for each diagnosis, sample clinical applications, prioritized actions/interventions with rationales, documentation guidance, and much more!

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 covering medical-surgical, maternity/OB, pediatrics, and psychiatric and mental health nursing. It utilizes interprofessional “patient problems” to familiarize you with patient-centered communication.

References and Sources

Recommended reading materials and sources for this NCP guide:

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