Nursing Diagnosis Related to Nutrition

Nursing Diagnosis Related to Nutrition

• Risk nursing diagnoses identify potential nutrition-related issues, including:

  • Risk for Aspiration
  • Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition: More/Less than Body Requirements

• Actual nursing diagnoses indicate existing nutrition-related problems, such as:

  • Impaired Swallowing
  • Feeding: Self-Care Deficit
  • Imbalanced Nutrition: More/Less than Body Requirements

• Health-promotion nursing diagnoses focus on enhancement opportunities, featuring:

  • Readiness for Enhanced Nutrition
  • Readiness for Enhanced Knowledge

Components of Nursing Diagnoses

• Risk nursing diagnoses combine a diagnosis label with identified risk factors.

  • Example: Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements due to chronic nausea and loss of appetite.

• Actual nursing diagnoses consist of a diagnosis label, related factors, and defining characteristics.

  • Example: Impaired Swallowing linked to neurologic damage from a cerebrovascular accident, demonstrated by gagging and choking.

• Health-promotion nursing diagnoses include a diagnosis label along with confirming characteristics.

  • Example: Readiness for Enhanced Nutrition evidenced by desire for a balanced diet and knowledge of nutritional guidelines.

Patient-Centered Goals

• For Risk for Aspiration, aim for the patient to show no signs of aspiration, such as maintaining clear lungs and normal respiratory rate during hospitalization.

• For Feeding: Self-Care Deficit, the goal involves the patient using assistive devices for self-feeding before discharge.

• For Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements, the objective is for the patient to gain 1 to 2 lbs weekly until weight normalizes.

• For Imbalanced Nutrition: More than Body Requirements, the target is for the patient to recognize obesity-related factors prior to discharge.

• For Readiness for Enhanced Nutrition, the goal is for the patient to identify nutrient-rich food options and express awareness of balanced meal choices before leaving the facility.

Collaborative Care Planning

• Individual dietary preferences and cultural/religious nutritional needs must be integrated into care plans.

• Registered dietitians provide nutritional education and address psychosocial/economic factors affecting nutrition.

• Case managers coordinate necessary services post-discharge, such as durable medical equipment and follow-up care.

• Speech therapists play a key role for patients with swallowing impairments requiring restorative therapy.

• Psychologists might be consulted when psychological issues influence a patient's nutritional recovery.

• Unlicensed assistive personnel assist with feeding tasks.

Case Example

• A stroke patient experiences coughing and choking while eating solids and liquids, indicating a potential diagnosis of Impaired Swallowing as determined by failing a swallow evaluation, leading to the consideration of a feeding tube.