Nursing care plan for acute confusion

Introduction

Acute confusion is a medical condition that can arise drastically and is often characterized by an altered mental status. This can be caused by many changes to the body, and left untreated it can cause dangerous symptoms. Nursing care plans needed for acute confusion come with specific goals and interventions. By utilizing these nursing interventions, we are looking to improve a patient’s overall health and well-being.

Assessment

The first step in creating a nursing care plan for acute confusion is the assessment phase. During this process, nurses will look to identify and assess multiple elements of the patient’s health. Assessments such as nutrition level, physiologic signs, and identifying any contributing factors such as substances or medications are just a few of the areas nurses assess in order to create the most effective nursing care plan.

Nursing Diagnosis

Once nurses have completed their assessments, the next step is to create a nursing diagnosis. A diagnosis helps determine how the current medical condition is manifested and how to take action to improve your patient’s overall health. Nursing diagnoses for acute confusion may include disorientation, impaired communication, impaired mobility, or impaired cognitive functioning.

Outcomes

Once the nursing diagnosis is established, the next step is to create measurable outcomes for the care plan. Specific goals for the care plan must be measurable and achievable with the resources available. Examples of desired outcomes for a nursing care plan for acute confusion could include improved orientation, improved cognition, and an objective improvement in the ability to communicate effectively.

Interventions

Interventions are the specific techniques nurses will use to achieve the desired outcomes. These techniques may include providing the patient with adequate rest, checking vital signs frequently, and managing activities of daily living (ADLs). Other interventions may include providing sensory stimulation such as music or photos, providing safety measures to protect from any potential harm as well as providing psychosocial support.

Rationales

Rationales explain the logic behind the interventions that are put in place. Rationale can vary from patient to patient and are derived from their individual assessment results. For example, providing the patient with adequate rest may be necessary for their mental clarity and for improved communication, providing sensory stimulation may help the patient stay alert and engaged, and offering psychosocial support can aid in calming any agitation or anxiety the patient may be experiencing.

Evaluation

The evaluation phase is the last step before implementing a nursing care plan.During evaluations, nurses will look to if the assessed issues have been addressed and if the desired outcomes have been achieved. If the patient has not achieved their desired outcomes, then new goals must be created using different strategies.

Conclusion

Creating a nursing care plan for acute confusion requires nurses to utilize multiple steps and interventions. It requires nurses to assess the patient’s needs, create nursing diagnoses, provide interventions, and evaluate progress along the way. With a thorough approach, nurses are capable of creating comprehensive nursing care plans tailored to their patient's individual needs.

FAQs

• What is acute confusion?
  Acute confusion is an altered mental state characterized by disorientation and other problems. It can be caused by medical issues such as dehydration, infection, drug interactions and more.
• What is a nursing care plan?
  A nursing care plan is a specific plan created by a nurse to address the needs of an individual patient. It is a multi-faceted plan involving assessments, interventions, rationales, and evalautions.
• What are some interventions for acute confusion?
  Some interventions for a nursing care plan for acute confusion may include, providing adequate rest, checking vital signs, ADLs, providing sensory stimulation, providing safety measures, and offering psychosocial support.
• What type of assessments are used in acute confusion care plans?
  Assessments used in nursing care plans for acute confusion typically include nutrition levels, physiologic signs, psychosocial elements, and any contributing factors such as medications or substances.
• What are some possible outcomes of an acute confusion care plan?
  Possible outcomes of a nursing care plan for acute confusion may include improved orientation, improved cognition, and improved communication.