Nursing care plan for nutrition imbalance

Introduction to Nutrition Imbalance

Nutrition imbalance is when an individual’s body is not getting all of the essential vitamins and nutrients it needs to function properly. A nursing care plan is important to address nutrition imbalances because it provides an organized approach to patient care that encourages both health and wellness.

Assessment of Nutrition Imbalance

The assessment phase of the nursing care plan includes assessing the presence of nutrition imbalance and determining its cause. Factors that could contribute to nutrition imbalances include inadequate food intake, poor absorption of nutrients, medications, or underlying health problems.

Nursing Diagnoses for Nutrition Imbalance

Nursing diagnoses used in a nutrition imbalance care plan include:
• Knowledge deficit related to nutritional requirements needed to support the patient’s medical condition.
• Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition less than body requirements.
• Risk for Imbalanced Nutrition related to inadequate dietary intake.

Outcomes of Nutrition Imbalance Care Plan

Nursing care plans for nutrition imbalances have outcomes that focus on restoring balance to the patient’s nutrient intake. These outcomes are measurable, time-oriented statements such as “the patient will be able to identify healthy food choices” or “the patient will increase his/her daily nutrient intake.”

Interventions for Nutrition Imbalance

The interventions phase of the nutrition imbalance care plan identifies the specific strategies that need to be implemented to achieve the patient’s outcomes. These strategies are usually multi-faceted, often including patient education on healthy eating habits and/or referral to a dietician.

Rationales for Nutrition Imbalance Care Plan

The rationales phase of the nutrition imbalance care plan provide the basis for the nurse’s intervention choices. Rationales are evidence-based clinical decisions that take into consideration the patient’s unique medical history, lifestyle, and medical condition.

Evaluation of Nutrition Imbalance Care Plan

Evaluating the effectiveness of the nutrition imbalance care plan is critical to ensure that the patient’s outcomes have been achieved. Evaluation may include laboratory tests and other assessments to measure the patient’s nutritional status.

Conclusion

A nursing care plan for nutrition imbalances is an important part of a plan for restoring balance to an individual’s nutrient intake. The plan should include assessment, diagnosis, outcomes, interventions, rationales, and evaluation steps, all tailored to the patient’s specific needs.

FAQs

• What are some common nursing diagnoses for nutrition imbalance?
  Nursing diagnoses used in a nutrition imbalance care plan include: knowledge deficit related to nutritional requirements needed to support the patient’s medical condition, risk for imbalanced nutrition less than body requirements, and risk for imbalanced nutrition related to inadequate dietary intake.
• How do you evaluate a nutrition imbalance care plan?
  Evaluating the effectiveness of the nutrition imbalance care plan includes observing the patient’s progress toward achieving the outcomes, as well as conducting laboratory tests and other assessments to measure the patient’s nutritional status.
• What strategies may be used in a nutrition imbalance care plan?
  Strategies used in a nutrition imbalance care plan often include patient education on healthy eating habits and/or referral to a dietician.
• What factors can contribute to nutrition imbalances?
  Factors that can contribute to nutrition imbalances include inadequate food intake, poor absorption of nutrients, medications, or underlying health problems.
• What are the outcomes of a nutrition imbalance care plan?
  The outcomes of a nutrition imbalance care plan focus on restoring balance to the patient’s nutrient intake and include measurable, time-oriented statements such as “the patient will be able to identify healthy food choices” or “the patient will increase his/her daily nutrient intake.”