This nursing care plan is for patients who have diabetes. Diabetes is where the body is unable to control blood sugar levels due to either the body not being able to produce enough insulin or because the body is resistant to insulin. A normal blood sugar level ranges between 70-150.
Anything below 70 is considered hypoglycemia and anything above 150 is considered hyperglycemia. In this care plan we will be talking about hyperglycemia. In patients who have a high blood sugar the classic three P’s will present such as polyuria, polydipsia, and polyphagia.
Uncontrolled diabetes is mostly common caused by patient knowledge deficient of not knowing how to manage their diabetes properly. Many patients lack the knowledge about diet regimes, how to give insulin properly, sliding scale dosages, common signs and symptoms of high blood sugar, dosing insulin when sick, and how insulin works.
It is the nurses responsibility to educate the patient about diabetes. Some doctors will educate the patient but many times this falls to the nurse. Remember that uncontrolled diabetes can lead to blindness, peripheral vascular disease, and heart problems.
Below is a nursing care plan with diagnosis and nursing interventions/goals for patients with diabetes.
What are nursing care plans? How do you develop a nursing care plan? What nursing care plan book do you recommend helping you develop a nursing care plan?
This care plan is listed to give an example of how a Nurse (LPN or RN) may plan to treat a patient with those conditions.
Important Disclosure: Please keep in mind that these care plans are listed for Example/Educational purposes only, and some of these treatments may change over time. Do not treat a patient based on this care plan.
Care Plans are often developed in different formats. The formatting isn’t always important, and care plan formatting may vary among different nursing schools or medical jobs. Some hospitals may have the information displayed in digital format, or use pre-made templates. The most important part of the care plan is the content, as that is the foundation on which you will base your care.
If you want to view a video tutorial on how to construct a care plan in nursing school, please view the video below. Otherwise, scroll down to view this completed care plan.
A 45 year old comes in with a diagnosis of hyperglycemia. The patient blood sugar is 1500 and the patient is admitted to your ICU. The patient is on an insulin gtt per protocol. The goal is to get the patient blood sugar at 70-200 per md order. The patient is alert and oriented times 3. He states this is the fourth time he has come to the hospital in the past year for high blood sugar. However, he states he has never been in the ICU and says “well this must be pretty serious then”. The pt’s wife is with him and states the patient does not manage his diabetes at home very well and eats whatever he wants and goes several days without checking his blood sugar. She states she urges him to but he does not comply. During your assessment you ask the patient about his knowledge about diabetes. You find out that the patient does not know how to check his blood sugar properly and interpret the results. In addition, the patient is not knowledgeable about diet regimes and knows little about the consequences of uncontrolled blood sugars. The patient states “I have always thought I can eat whatever I want, when I want, and insulin coverage can be at my discretion”. The patient is shocked at what you educate him about and says he wants to get serious about managing his diabetes because he doesn’t want to “be in the ICU again”.
Ineffective health maintance related to demonstration of uncontrolled diabetes and reporting lack of education about diabetes as evidence by high blood sugar and knowledge deficient about controlled diabetes.
He states this is the fourth time he has come to the hospital in the past year for high blood sugar. However, he states he has never been in the ICU and says “well this must be pretty serious then”. The pt’s wife is with him and states the patient does not manage his diabetes at home very well and eats whatever he wants and goes several days without checking his blood sugar. She states she urges him to but he does not comply. The patient states “I have always thought I can eat whatever I want, when I want, and insulin coverage can be at my discretion”. The patient is shocked at what you educate him about and says he wants to get serious about managing his diabetes because he doesn’t want to “be in the ICU again”.
A 45 year old comes in with a diagnosis of hyperglycemia. The patient blood sugar is 1500 and the patient is admitted to your ICU. The patient is on an insulin gtt per protocol. The goal is to get the patient blood sugar at 70-200 per md order. The patient is alert and oriented times 3. During your assessment you ask the patient about his knowledge about diabetes. You find out that the patient does not know how to check his blood sugar properly and interpret the results. In addition, the patient is not knowledgeable about diet regimes and knows little about the consequences of uncontrolled blood sugars.
-The patient will demonstrate how to take his blood sugar and interpret the results.
-The patient will demonstrate how to give himself insulin injections using the sliding scale.
-The patient will verbalize how often and when he needs to check his blood sugar.
-The patient will demonstrate how to successfully mix NPH and regular insulin together.
-The patient will develop a daily menu that meets his diabetic needs.
-The patient will be supplied with a free 30 day supply of testing strips, lancets, one free glucometer, and insulin syringes.
-The patient will demonstrate how to properly dispose of insulin syringes and lancets.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how to take his blood sugar and interpret the results.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how to give himself insulin injections using the sliding scale.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how often and when he needs to check his blood sugar.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how to successfully mix NPH and regular insulin together.
-The nurse will consult with the dietitian to educate the patient on diet regime for diabetics.
-The nurse will encourage the patient to develop a daily menu that meets his diabetic needs.
-The nurse will supply the patient with a free 30 day supply of testing strips, lancets, one free glucometer, and insulin syringes.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how to properly dispose of insulin syringes and lancets.
