Mastering Nursing Care Plans: Examples and Diagnosis Guide

What is a Nursing Care Plan?

A Nursing Care Plan (NCP) is a cornerstone of modern healthcare, acting as a formal, structured process where nurses identify patient needs, both current and potential. It serves as a vital communication tool among nurses, patients, and the wider healthcare team, ensuring everyone is aligned on healthcare goals and strategies. The NCP is crucial for maintaining quality and consistency in patient care; without this structured planning, patient care could become fragmented and less effective.

The process of nursing care planning begins at the moment of patient admission and remains a dynamic, evolving document. It is continuously updated to reflect the patient’s changing health status and the outcomes of care evaluations. This commitment to personalized, patient-centered care is fundamental to excellence in nursing practice.

Types of Nursing Care Plans

Nursing care plans can be broadly categorized as informal or formal, and further refined within the formal category:

• Informal Nursing Care Plans: These are mental strategies, existing within the nurse’s thought process as a plan of action.
• Formal Nursing Care Plans: These are documented guides, either written or digital, that systematically organize patient care information.

Formal care plans are further divided into two types:

• Standardized Care Plans: These are pre-written guides designed for groups of patients with common needs. They ensure consistent care for typical conditions.
• Individualized Care Plans: These are customized plans, tailored to meet the unique needs of a specific patient, going beyond the scope of standardized plans.

Standardized Care Plans

Standardized care plans are developed by healthcare agencies to ensure a baseline of consistent care for patients with specific conditions. They streamline care delivery, allowing nurses to efficiently manage common patient needs and focus their time on more individualized aspects of care. These plans establish a minimum standard of care and improve efficiency by eliminating repetitive planning for common patient scenarios.

However, standardized care plans are intentionally broad and not designed to address the specific nuances of each patient’s condition. They serve as an excellent starting point, a framework upon which individualized care plans can be built.

The care plans discussed in this guide are primarily standardized care plans, intended to serve as a foundation for developing individualized plans.

Individualized Care Plans

An individualized care plan takes the standardized plan a step further, adapting it to the specific needs and goals of each patient. This involves using approaches known to be effective for the individual, ensuring care is highly personalized and considers the patient’s unique circumstances, strengths, and objectives. This approach promotes more holistic care, addressing the patient as a whole person.

Moreover, individualized care plans can significantly enhance patient satisfaction. Patients are more likely to feel valued and understood when they perceive their care is specifically designed for them, boosting their satisfaction. In today’s healthcare environment, where patient satisfaction is a key indicator of quality, this personalization is increasingly important.

Tips for Individualizing a Nursing Care Plan:

• Detailed Assessment: Conduct a thorough initial and ongoing assessment to capture unique patient needs and preferences.
• Patient Input: Actively involve patients in the planning process to understand their goals and values.
• Flexible Interventions: Be prepared to modify standardized interventions based on patient response and evolving needs.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Consider cultural, spiritual, and psychosocial factors that influence patient care.
• Regular Review: Continuously evaluate and update the plan to ensure it remains aligned with the patient’s current condition and goals.

Objectives of Nursing Care Plans

Creating a nursing care plan has several key objectives:

• Promote Evidence-Based Care: To ensure nursing care is grounded in the latest research and best practices, creating a consistent and reliable care environment.
• Support Holistic Care: To address the patient comprehensively – physically, psychologically, socially, and spiritually – in both disease management and prevention.
• Establish Care Programs: To develop structured approaches like care pathways and care bundles. Care pathways ensure team consensus on care standards and outcomes, while care bundles standardize best practices for specific conditions.
• Define Goals and Outcomes: To clearly identify and differentiate between broader treatment goals and specific, measurable expected outcomes.
• Enhance Communication and Documentation: To improve the clarity and effectiveness of care plan communication and documentation among the healthcare team.
• Measure Nursing Care Effectiveness: To provide a framework for evaluating the impact and quality of nursing interventions.

Purposes of a Nursing Care Plan

Nursing care plans serve several critical purposes in healthcare delivery:

• Defines the Nurse’s Role: NCPs highlight the unique, independent role of nurses in addressing patients’ overall health and well-being, complementing physician-directed care.
• Provides Direction for Individualized Care: It acts as a detailed roadmap for patient care, guiding nurses in critical thinking to develop tailored interventions.
• Ensures Continuity of Care: By providing a consistent reference, NCPs enable nurses across different shifts and departments to deliver uniform, high-quality care, maximizing treatment benefits for patients.
• Coordinates Care: NCPs ensure all members of the healthcare team are informed about patient needs and required actions, preventing gaps and overlaps in care.
• Documentation: NCPs accurately document observations, nursing actions, and patient/family instructions. Proper documentation within the care plan is crucial evidence that care was provided.
• Guides Staff Assignment: NCPs help in assigning appropriate staff based on the specific skills required for a patient’s care needs.
• Monitors Progress: NCPs facilitate the tracking of patient progress and enable necessary adjustments to the care plan as health status changes.
• Supports Reimbursement: Insurance companies rely on medical records, including care plans, to determine coverage and reimbursement for hospital care.
• Defines Patient Goals: NCPs actively involve patients in their treatment, enhancing their understanding and participation in their care.

Components of a Nursing Care Plan

A typical Nursing Care Plan (NCP) comprises several key components, including nursing diagnoses, patient problems, expected outcomes, nursing interventions, and rationales. Let’s explore these in detail:

• Nursing Diagnoses: These are clinical judgments about individual, family, or community experiences/responses to actual or potential health problems/life processes. Nursing diagnoses provide the basis for selection of nursing interventions to achieve outcomes for which the nurse has accountability. Examples of nursing diagnoses include “Acute Pain,” “Risk for Infection,” and “Impaired Physical Mobility.” A well-formulated nursing diagnosis statement usually includes three parts (for actual diagnoses): the problem, the etiology (related factors), and the defining characteristics (signs and symptoms). For risk diagnoses, it includes the problem and the risk factors.

• Patient Problems/Needs: These are broader statements of issues the patient is experiencing. While related to nursing diagnoses, they might be less formally defined and can encompass medical diagnoses or general health concerns.

• Expected Outcomes/Goals: These are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) statements describing the desired changes in patient health status as a result of nursing care. They are patient-centered and focus on what the patient will achieve. For example, for the nursing diagnosis “Acute Pain,” an expected outcome might be “Patient will report pain level of 3 or less on a 0-10 scale within 1 hour after intervention.”

• Nursing Interventions: These are the actions nurses will take to address the nursing diagnoses and achieve the expected outcomes. Interventions should be evidence-based, safe, and individualized. Examples of nursing interventions for “Acute Pain” could include “Administer prescribed analgesic medication” and “Provide comfort measures such as positioning and relaxation techniques.”

• Rationales: These are the scientific reasons or evidence supporting the chosen nursing interventions. They explain why a specific intervention is expected to be effective in achieving the desired outcome. Rationales are particularly important in student care plans as they reinforce the evidence-based nature of nursing practice. For example, the rationale for “Administer prescribed analgesic medication” might be “Analgesics block pain pathways and reduce pain perception.”

Care Plan Formats

Nursing care plans are often structured in column formats to organize information clearly. Common formats include three-column and four-column plans:

Three-Column Format

This format simplifies the care plan into three core components:

1. Nursing Diagnosis: Clearly stated nursing diagnosis.
2. Outcomes and Evaluation: Desired patient outcomes and criteria for evaluation.
3. Interventions: Nursing actions to achieve outcomes.

Three-column nursing care plan format

Four-Column Format

The four-column format provides a more detailed structure, separating goals and evaluation:

1. Nursing Diagnosis: Clearly stated nursing diagnosis.
2. Goals and Outcomes: Specific, measurable patient goals and expected outcomes.
3. Interventions: Detailed nursing actions.
4. Evaluation: Space to document the effectiveness of interventions and patient progress toward goals.

Four-column nursing care plan template

For further practical application, you can download sample templates for various nursing care plan formats:

Download: Printable Nursing Care Plan Templates and Formats

Student Care Plans

Student care plans are designed as comprehensive learning tools. They are typically more extensive and detailed than those used by practicing nurses. These plans often require handwriting and include an additional column for “Rationale” or “Scientific Explanation” after the interventions. This rationale column is crucial for students to understand the scientific basis for each intervention, reinforcing their learning and critical thinking skills.

Student nursing care plans are more detailed.

Rationales in student care plans are scientific principles that justify the selection of specific nursing interventions, helping students connect theoretical knowledge with practical application.

Writing a Nursing Care Plan: Step-by-Step

Developing a Nursing Care Plan (NCP) involves a systematic approach. Here are the steps to guide you:

Step 1: Data Collection or Assessment

The first step is comprehensive data collection. This involves creating a patient database using various assessment techniques and data collection methods. These include:

• Physical Assessment: Hands-on examination of the patient’s body systems.
• Health History: Gathering information about the patient’s past and present health conditions, medications, allergies, and lifestyle.
• Interviews: Direct conversations with the patient and/or family to understand their perspective and health concerns.
• Medical Records Review: Examining the patient’s existing medical documentation for relevant health information.
• Diagnostic Studies: Reviewing results from laboratory tests, imaging, and other diagnostic procedures.

The patient database compiles all collected health information. This step is crucial for identifying related or risk factors and defining characteristics that will be used to formulate nursing diagnoses. Many healthcare facilities and nursing schools provide specific assessment formats to guide this process.

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

Step 2: Data Analysis and Organization

Once data is collected, the next step is analysis and organization. This involves:

• Analyzing: Reviewing the collected data to identify patterns, trends, and significant health issues.
• Clustering: Grouping related data points together to identify potential problems or areas of concern.
• Organizing: Structuring the data logically to prepare for formulating nursing diagnoses, setting priorities, and defining desired outcomes.

This step translates raw data into meaningful insights that guide the subsequent stages of care planning.

Step 3: Formulating Nursing Diagnoses

Nursing diagnoses are standardized statements that describe a patient’s health problems or conditions that nurses can independently address. They provide a consistent language for identifying and responding to patient needs. Nursing diagnoses focus on:

• Actual Health Problems: Existing health issues identified during assessment.
• Potential Health Problems (Risk Diagnoses): Conditions patients are at risk of developing.

Nursing diagnoses are crucial because they pinpoint issues 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.

Examples of Nursing Diagnosis in a Nursing Care Plan:

Let’s consider a patient admitted post-operatively following abdominal surgery. Based on assessment data, potential nursing diagnoses might include:

• Actual Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to surgical incision as evidenced by patient reporting pain level of 7/10, guarding behavior, and increased heart rate. This diagnosis is actual because the patient is currently experiencing pain.

• Risk Nursing Diagnosis: Risk for Infection related to surgical incision and invasive procedures. This is a risk diagnosis because while there is no current infection, the surgical site and procedures increase the patient’s vulnerability to infection.

• Another Actual Nursing Diagnosis: Impaired Physical Mobility related to post-surgical pain and decreased strength as evidenced by difficulty turning in bed and ambulating short distances. This diagnosis is based on the patient’s current limitations in movement.

These are just examples, and the specific nursing diagnoses will depend on a thorough assessment of the individual patient. Each diagnosis will then guide the development of specific goals, interventions, and evaluations within the nursing care plan.

Step 4: Setting Priorities

Setting priorities involves ranking nursing diagnoses in order of importance. This ensures that the most critical issues are addressed first. Prioritization is a collaborative process between the nurse and patient, involving decisions about which problems need immediate attention. Diagnoses are often categorized as high, medium, or low priority.

High-priority diagnoses are those that are life-threatening or pose immediate risks to the patient’s well-being. These typically involve physiological needs critical for survival.

Medium-priority diagnoses are important but not immediately life-threatening. They may relate to non-emergent physical or psychological needs.

Low-priority diagnoses are those that can be addressed after more urgent needs are met. They often relate to long-term health, health education, or coping.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides a useful framework for prioritizing nursing diagnoses. This theory, developed by Abraham Maslow in 1943, ranks human needs from basic physiological needs to self-actualization. Basic needs must be met before higher-level needs can be addressed.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs in Nursing Priority:

1. Physiological Needs (Highest Priority): These are fundamental for survival. Examples include:

   • Airway: Ensuring a patent airway.
   • Breathing: Adequate respiration and oxygenation.
   • Circulation: Maintaining blood flow and cardiovascular function.
   • Nutrition: Adequate intake of fluids and nutrients.
   • Elimination: Managing waste removal.
   • Sleep: Promoting rest and sleep.
   • Shelter: Providing a safe environment.
   • Exercise: Maintaining physical activity as appropriate.

2. Safety and Security Needs: Once physiological needs are met, safety becomes paramount. This includes:

   • Injury Prevention: Measures to prevent falls, infections, and other injuries (e.g., side rails, call lights, hand hygiene, isolation, suicide precautions, fall precautions).
   • Psychological Safety: Fostering trust and security through a therapeutic relationship) and patient education about their condition and care.

3. Love and Belonging Needs: Relate to social connection and support.

   • Supportive Relationships: Facilitating positive interactions with family and healthcare team.
   • Combating Social Isolation: Encouraging social interaction and support networks.
   • Therapeutic Communication: Active listening and empathetic communication.

4. Self-Esteem Needs: Involve feelings of confidence and worth.

   • Recognition and Acceptance: Supporting the patient’s sense of self-worth and value.
   • Empowerment: Encouraging patient participation in care decisions and promoting a sense of control.

5. Self-Actualization Needs (Lowest Priority in Acute Care): Reaching one’s full potential.

   • Spiritual Growth: Supporting spiritual needs and personal growth.
   • Personal Fulfillment: Helping patients achieve their personal goals within their health context.

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

Other factors influencing priority setting include patient values, beliefs, available resources, and the urgency of the health problem. Patient involvement in this process is crucial to enhance cooperation and ensure care aligns with their priorities.

Step 5: Establishing Client Goals and Desired Outcomes

After prioritizing nursing diagnoses, the next step is to set goals and desired outcomes for each diagnosis. Goals and desired outcomes are statements that describe what the nurse aims to achieve through nursing interventions. They:

• Provide direction for planning interventions.
• Serve as criteria for evaluating patient progress.
• Help determine when problems are resolved.
• Motivate both patient and nurse by providing a sense of accomplishment.

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

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

Effective goals are SMART:

• Specific: Clearly defined and focused.
• Measurable: Quantifiable and able to be tracked.
• Attainable: Realistic and achievable for the patient.
• Relevant: Aligned with patient needs and values.
• Time-bound: With a defined timeframe for achievement.

Example of Goal and Desired Outcomes:

• Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to surgical incision.
• Overall Goal: Patient will achieve satisfactory pain control.
• Desired Outcomes (SMART):
  • Patient will report pain level of 3 or less on a 0-10 scale within 1 hour after pain medication administration by [Date]. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)
  • Patient will demonstrate relaxed body posture and use of relaxation techniques within 24 hours. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)
  • Patient will be able to ambulate 50 feet with minimal discomfort by discharge. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound)

Goals can be categorized as short-term or long-term:

• Short-term goals: Achievable over a short period, typically hours to days, common in acute care settings.
• Long-term goals: Achievable over weeks or months, often for patients with chronic conditions or in long-term care settings.
• Discharge planning focuses on long-term goals to ensure continued care and problem resolution after hospitalization.

Components of Goals and Desired Outcomes:

Outcome statements typically include four components:

1. Subject: The patient or part of the patient (often implied to be the patient).
2. Verb: Action the patient will perform (e.g., verbalize, demonstrate, ambulate).
3. Conditions or Modifiers: Circumstances under which the behavior is performed (e.g., “after medication,” “with assistance”).
4. Criterion of Desired Performance: Standard for evaluation, level of performance (e.g., “pain level of 3 or less,” “ambulate 50 feet”).

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

Tips for Writing Goals and Desired Outcomes:

1. Focus on patient responses, not nurse activities. Start with “Patient will…”
2. Focus on what the patient will do, not what the nurse hopes to achieve for the patient.
3. Use observable and measurable terms. Avoid vague language.
4. Ensure outcomes are realistic for the patient’s resources and timeframe.
5. Ensure compatibility with other therapies.
6. Each goal should derive from only one nursing diagnosis for clear evaluation.
7. Ensure goals are important and valued by the patient for cooperation.

Step 6: Selecting Nursing Interventions

Nursing interventions are the specific actions nurses perform to help patients achieve their goals. These interventions should directly address the etiology of the nursing diagnosis. For risk diagnoses, interventions focus on reducing risk factors. Nursing interventions are planned during the planning phase but are implemented during the implementation phase of the nursing process.

Types of Nursing Interventions

Nursing interventions can be:

1. Independent Interventions: Actions nurses are licensed to initiate based on their knowledge and skills. These include:

   • Ongoing assessment.
   • Emotional support and counseling.
   • Comfort measures.
   • Patient education.
   • Physical care.
   • Referrals to other healthcare professionals.

2. Dependent Interventions: Actions carried out under physician orders or supervision. These include:

   • Medication administration.
   • Intravenous therapy.
   • Diagnostic tests.
   • Medical treatments.
   • Dietary orders.
   • Activity or rest orders.
   • Assessment and explanation related to medical orders.

3. Collaborative Interventions: Actions carried out in coordination with other healthcare team members, such as physicians, therapists, dietitians, and social workers.

Types of nursing interventions in a care plan.

Effective Nursing Interventions Should Be:

• Safe and appropriate for the patient’s age, health, and condition.
• Achievable with available resources and time.
• Aligned with patient values, culture, and beliefs.
• Compatible with other therapies.
• Based on nursing knowledge and evidence.

Example of Nursing Interventions:

• Nursing Diagnosis: Acute Pain related to surgical incision.
• Goal: Patient will report pain level of 3 or less on a 0-10 scale within 1 hour after pain medication administration.
• Nursing Interventions:
  • Assess patient’s pain level using a pain scale every 2 hours and PRN, noting location, character, intensity, and aggravating/relieving factors. (Independent)
  • Administer prescribed analgesic medication (e.g., opioid, NSAID) as ordered, considering pain level and patient allergies. (Dependent)
  • Provide non-pharmacological comfort measures such as positioning, back rub, relaxation techniques, and distraction activities. (Independent)
  • Educate patient on pain management techniques, including medication schedule, non-pharmacological methods, and reporting uncontrolled pain. (Independent)

Tips for Writing Nursing Interventions:

1. Date and sign the care plan for accountability and tracking.
2. Be specific and clear, starting with an action verb. Include qualifiers like how, when, where, time, frequency, and amount.
   • Example: “Educate patient on proper wound care techniques before discharge.”
   • Example: “Assess vital signs every 4 hours and PRN, noting any changes from baseline.”
3. Use only approved abbreviations within your institution.

Step 7: Providing Rationale

Rationales are scientific explanations that justify each nursing intervention. They explain why an intervention is chosen and how it is expected to achieve the desired outcome. Rationales are especially important in student care plans to reinforce the evidence-based practice of nursing.

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

Example of Rationale:

• Nursing Intervention: Administer prescribed analgesic medication (e.g., opioid, NSAID) as ordered.
• Rationale: Analgesic medications work by blocking pain pathways and reducing the perception of pain signals in the brain, thereby alleviating acute pain. Opioids and NSAIDs have different mechanisms of action but both are effective in managing post-operative pain when administered appropriately and monitored for side effects.

Step 8: Evaluation

Evaluation is the ongoing, planned process of assessing the patient’s progress toward achieving goals and the effectiveness of the nursing care plan. It is a crucial part of the nursing process because it determines whether to:

• Terminate the care plan if goals are achieved and the problem is resolved.
• Continue the care plan if progress is being made and goals are still relevant.
• Modify the care plan if interventions are ineffective or patient needs have changed.

Evaluation involves comparing the patient’s current status to the desired outcomes set in the care plan. It requires ongoing data collection and analysis to determine the impact of nursing interventions.

Step 9: Putting it on Paper

The final step is documenting the care plan. The format and documentation process are guided by hospital policy and institutional standards. The documented care plan becomes part of the patient’s medical record, ensuring continuity of care and communication among healthcare providers. Nursing programs often have specific care plan formats, often using a five-column format to systematically guide students through the nursing process.

Nursing Care Plan List

This section provides a comprehensive list of sample nursing care plans (NCPs) and nursing diagnoses categorized by medical specialties and health conditions. These are designed to serve as starting points and examples for developing individualized care plans.

Basic Nursing and General Care Plans

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

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

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

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

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 & Lymphatic Care Plans

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

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

Integumentary Care Plans
Burn Injury
Dermatitis
Herpes Zoster (Shingles)
Pressure Ulcer (Bedsores)
Wound Care and Skin/Tissue Integrity

Maternal and Newborn Care Plans

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

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

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

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

Ophthalmic Care Plans
Cataracts
Glaucoma
Macular Degeneration

Pediatric Nursing Care Plans

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

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

Respiratory Care Plans

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

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 further study and practical application, these resources are highly recommended:

Disclosure: Affiliate links from Amazon are included below, which may provide a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our privacy policy for details.

Ackley and Ladwig’s Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care

This handbook is praised for its evidence-based approach to nursing interventions. It offers a straightforward, three-step system for client assessment, nursing diagnosis, and care planning, enhancing diagnostic reasoning and critical thinking skills.

Nursing Care Plans – Nursing Diagnosis & Intervention (10th Edition)

Featuring over 200 care plans, this edition incorporates the latest evidence-based guidelines, including new ICNP diagnoses, LGBTQ health issues, and electrolyte/acid-base balance care plans.

Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions, and Rationales

A quick, essential reference tool for identifying correct diagnoses and efficient care planning. The 16th edition includes updated diagnoses and interventions, covering over 400 disorders.

Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care

This manual aids in planning, individualizing, and documenting care for over 800 conditions. It provides subjective/objective data, clinical applications, prioritized actions, rationales, and documentation sections for each diagnosis.

All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource – E-Book: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric-Mental Health

Includes over 100 care plans across medical-surgical, maternity, pediatrics, and psychiatric-mental health, focusing on interprofessional patient problems.

References and Sources

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