Post -Traumatic Syndrome Risk

Introduction

Post-Traumatic Syndrome Risk is a nursing diagnosis that identifies a person’s potential risk of developing long-term psychological problems due to exposure to a traumatic event. This nursing diagnosis helps healthcare practitioners know when to be especially alert for signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in their patients to intervene early and provide appropriate care if necessary.

Nursing Diagnosis Definition

Post-Traumatic Syndrome Risk: Possible susceptibility to develop emotional, behavioral, and cognitive disturbance in response to a traumatic event.

Defining Characteristics (subjectives and objectives):

Subjective:

• Expresses fear, helplessness, horror
• Reflects a feeling of heightened arousal
• Reports severe deficits in concentration, attention, and memory
• Describes feeling overwhelmed after witnessing, experiencing, or learning of an event

Objective:

• Relates description of traumatic event in detail
• Reports attempts to avoid situations or activities that are associated with the event
• Reports increased restlessness or hyperarousal
• Demonstrates recurrent recollections of the event

Related Factors

• Psychological: Psychological denial, fear, guilt, panic, flashbacks, fragile self-esteem
• Physical/Health: Unstable physiological condition, physical injury, surgery, hospitalization, chronic pain
• Environmental: Extreme stress conditions such as violence, natural disasters

Risk Population

People who are exposed to an extraordinary event, such as natural disaster, accident, violence, or other crisis, or any situation resulting in physical or psychological trauma may be at an increased risk of developing post-traumatic syndrome risk.

Associated Problems

People with post-traumatic syndrome risk can experience a number of associated problems, including anxiety, depression, impaired work performance, dissociative symptoms, substance abuse, and suicidal ideation.

Suggestions for Use

Nurses are cautioned against labeling a client as having post-traumatic syndrome but rather to use this diagnosis as a risk factor to guide specific nursing interventions such as monitoring and assessment for signs and symptoms of PTSD.

Suggested Alternative Nursing Diagnosis

Alternative NANDA diagnoses that may coexist with post-traumatic syndrome risk include chronic pain, fatigue, and sleep deprivation.

Usage Tips

The nurse should assess the patient’s current situation in order to accurately diagnose and provide interventions to reduce the patient’s risk. The nurse should also monitor the patient’s physical and mental health, provide reassurance and support, and refer the patient to additional resources.

NOC Results

• Safety Status: at risk of illness and injury;
• Psychosocial Adaptation: stress tolerance

Explanation of NOC Results:

The Safety Status NOC result is a measure of how safe the patient is from risks of developing a serious illness or physical injury. The Psychosocial Adaptation NOC result measures the patient’s ability to cope with stress. People with Post Traumatic Syndrome Risk may be more likely to experience a decline in safety status and in stress tolerance because of their increased risk for developing PTSD.

NIC Interventions

• Psychosocial Care
• Stress Management
• Mental Intensive Care Nursing

Explanation of NIC Interventions:

Psychosocial Care is an intervention to help the patient cope with social and emotional issues. Stress Management is an intervention to assess and treat the patient’s stress levels. Mental Intensive Care Nursing is an intervention to provide intensive care and monitoring to patients with serious mental illnesses. All of these interventions can help reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic syndrome risk.

Conclusion

nursing diagnosis Post-Traumatic Syndrome Risk is a useful tool for nurses to identify a patient’s potential risk for developing long-term psychological problems due to exposure to a traumatic event. Additionally, this diagnosis can guide nurses towards providing timely intervention that can reduce the patient’s risk for developing PTSD.

FAQs

• What is Post-Traumatic Syndrome Risk?
• Post-Traumatic Syndrome Risk is a nursing diagnosis that identifies a person’s potential risk of developing long-term psychological problems due to exposure to a traumatic event.
• What interventions can help reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic syndrome risk?
• Interventions such as psychosocial care, stress management, and mental intensive care nursing can help reduce the risk of developing post-traumatic syndrome risk.