Introduction
Hip fracture is a common problem among elderly population and proper nursing care is required for successful treatment and rehabilitation. This post explains the steps to follow for creating a nursing care plan to address a hip fracture in an elderly patient.
Assessment
The assessment requires thorough examination of the patient’s medical condition. The nurse needs to assess the patient’s medication allergies and history, nutritonal intake, mobility, skin integrity, as well as level of pain and other discomforts. It is also important to check for risk factors like age, previous surgical treatment, osteoporosis, obesity etc.
Nursing Diagnosis
A nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgement required to direct the care provided to an individual patient. The nursing diagnosis selected by the nurse should depend upon the medical condition of the patient. Common diagnoses for a hip fracture include risk for impaired skin integrity, pain, risk for impaired bone healing, risk for infection, impaired physical mobility, impaired verbal communication and impaired comfort.
Outcomes
The outcome of the nursing care plan should focus on restoring the health and functioning of the patient. The nurses should strive to achieve improved range of movement, normal pain levels, adequate nutrition, improved skin integrity and safe physical mobility in the patient.
Interventions
- Pain Management: Proper pain relief strategies should be used to reduce the discomfort and facilitate recovery. Non-medicinal pain management techniques like distraction and relaxation strategies should be attempted first.
- Risk Reduction: The nurse should take steps to reduce the risk of falls and injuries. Proper Bed positioning, use of assistive devices and any other major changes should be implemented.
- Physical Activity: Gradual increase in physical activity is important for successful recovery. The patient should take short walks, perform light activities and try to strengthen their muscles under the supervision of the nurse.
- Nutritional Support: The patient’s nutritional status should be monitored and necessary modifications should be made in their diet for better digestion, absorption and recovery.
Rationales
A rationale is a scientific basis for a certain action taken by the nurse. Pain management reduces the patient’s discomfort and risk reduction measures help prevent further complications. Proper physical activity increases the muscle strength and helps in quicker recovery. Nutritional support helps to maintain the energy levels, improve the healing process and prevent any deficiency-related disorders.
Evaluation
The evaluation of the patient’s response after implementation of the nursing care plan is important to measure the success of the plan. The nurse needs to constantly monitor the patient’s progress and modify the interventions accordingly.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be said that a nursing care plan for hip fracture in elderly patients should include assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcomes, interventions and rationales. The plan should be designed based on the patient’s condition, evaluated regularly and modified if necessary.
FAQs
- What is a nursing care plan?
A nursing care plan is a set of strategies developed by a nurse to help a patient maintain or improve their health.
- What is the goal of a nursing care plan?
The goal of a nursing care plan is to ensure the patient’s safety and maintain/improve their health.
- What is included in a nursing care plan?
A nursing care plan typically includes assessment, nursing diagnosis, outcomes, interventions and rationales.
- What are the components of a nursing care plan for hip fracture in elderly patients?
The components of a nursing care plan for hip fracture in elderly patients include pain management, risk reduction, physical activity and nutritional support.
- How should a nursing care plan be modified?
A nursing care plan should be modified based on the patient’s responses and must be evaluated regularly.
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