Nursing Care Plan and Diagnosis for Diabetes

Nursing Care Plans are particularly important for chronic conditions like Diabetes. A proper plan erases the notion of terminality or a defeatist mindset in the patient. This improves the attitude of the patient and enables his or her cooperation towards management of the condition - in this case, Diabetes.

Diabetes is a condition of excessive sugar (glucose) in the blood resulting from disruption of the insulin hormone which regulates blood sugar levels. Normal blood sugar level ranges between 70 to 150. A reading exceeding this range is called Hyperglycemia and one below the range is called Hypoglycemia. </span >

There are two types of Diabetes. The first, Type 1, is an autoimmune condition where the body inhibits itself from producing insulin. This happens by the body’s immune systems attacking the Pancreas. The other type of Diabetes, Type 2, is more common and is considered a lifestyle disease. It occurs when the body is incapable of producing adequate amounts of insulin. The USA’s National Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Prevention estimates that 95% of Americans suffering from Diabetes have the Type 1 variety.

Nursing Care Plans improve coordination of activities in a hospital. This is particularly relevant when you consider that nurses work in shifts. A standard document detailing the treatment approach makes it easy for any nurse or other medical staff to pick the baton from their colleagues. The benefit of coordination extends to other medical resources, ensuring facilities are available in a timely manner so as not to jeopardize the treatment process.

The preference for evidence-based approach and use of standardized documents make it easier to share lessons between medical institutions. This invites collaboration as well. The reason for this is that the documentation is holistic and is not only limited to the interventions by nurses and physicians. Analysis of treatment strategy becomes easier thanks to this Nursing Care Plan approach.

A Nursing Care Plan helps students improve their communication skills. It equips them with the ability to focus their ideas and present them in a logical format. It also teaches them how to prioritize what information to share to what particular audience. The communication lessons gained from Care Plans extend beyond writing as they have utility in other channels of communication.

This is critical because communication is the first or second most important skill in nursing depending on who you ask. Other people perceive clinical knowledge to be more important. A Care Plan enhances linking of condition of patient, treatment process and desired outcome. A good nurse will have his or her communication technique guided by these details.

Another reason nursing students should care about Care Plans is because they push one to think critically. And this is not only because treatment is guided by evidence. The other reason is because it encourages the approach of individualized care. In as much as the care plan promotes standardization, it has to be customized to fit illness or injury and patient.

Personalized treatment improves the relationship between a patient, his or her family and the nurse. This can speed up the process to outcome as there is improved trust leading to collaboration between the parties. This is critical for chronic conditions like Diabetes which leave plenty of the care interventions at the hands of the patient.

The format of a Nursing Care Plan for Diabetes or any other condition will generally be categorized similar to the figure below:

The diagnosis should extend to capture information on the psychological, economic, sociocultural and even spiritual status of the patient. This information will advise the communication approach to be used and the interventions that will be implemented during the treatment process. For Diabetes, a nurse will be well-placed to determine the patient’s familiarity with the condition in order to address any misinformation that will hinder management of the condition.

The outcomes are the results the nurse and the patient desire from their engagement. Determination of this part of the Nursing Care Plan is supposed to be a collaborative exercise. All the same, the nurse should demonstrate balance between his or her empathy for the patient and the objectivity of what is possible. Outcomes that detail both short and long term goals lead to more effective intervention techniques.

Outcomes for a Diabetes patient may be learning how to take and interpret blood sugar tests. Other goals may be teaching him or her intervals at which the tests are taken, how they can remain disciplined to their prescribed daily menu and how to dispose of insular syringes.

Intervention details the implementation of medical procedures to be implemented towards attainment of the Nursing Care Plan goals. Observation and action are made during this phase. The nursing orders are open to amendment as they are guided by the patient’s response to their application. The language to be used for a Diabetes patient will focus on the “How To…” aspects in order to ready the patient for self-care.

Finally, evaluation is done to measure progress of the intervention techniques. The data analyzed by carrying out evaluations advise whether approach should be changed or how future management of Diabetes patients will be conducted.