This nursing care plan is for patients with anxiety. According to Nanda the definition for anxiety is the state in which an individual or group experiences feelings of uneasiness or apprehension and activation of the autonomic nervous system in response to a vague, nonspecific threat.
Patients with anxiety will present with symptoms physiologically, emotionally, or cognitively. For example a patient with anxiety may have increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and diaphoresis (which is physiologically), report feelings of helplessness, losing control (which is emotionally, and inability to concentrate, preoccupation, and confusion (which is cognitively).
Below is a nursing care plan with diagnosis and nursing interventions/goals for patients with anxiety.
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.
Nursing Care Plan for Anxiety
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.
Scenario
A 42 year old female present to the ER with anxiety attacks. She reports to having “uncontrollable anxiety attacks” while at work, sleeping, and driving. She states they started two weeks ago and she has tried to manage them with a prescription of Xanax 0.25 mg PO that he doctor gave her a month ago but says it is not helping. She states these anxiety attacks are “controlling her life”. She reports that she found out three weeks ago her husband of 21 years has been having an affair with her best friend and that he wants a divorce. In addition, her mother has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. While the patient is explaining this to you she cries many times and has poor eye contact. You note that her blood pressure and heart rate elevates by 35-50 points while she is talking to you about her situation. The patient also reports to having constant diarrhea, forgetfulness, irritability, and angry outbursts at her children.
Nursing Diagnosis
Anxiety related to actual loss of significant others secondary to divorce and potential death of a loved one as evidence by patient description of her anxiety attacks, blood pressure and heart rate eleveation, and situational issues currently in the patient life.
Subjective Data
She reports to having “uncontrollable anxiety attacks” while at work, sleeping, and driving. She states they started two weeks ago and she has tried to manage them with a prescription of Xanax 0.25 mg PO that he doctor gave her a month ago but says it is not helping. She states these anxiety attacks are “controlling her life”. She reports that she found out three weeks ago her husband of 21 years has been having an affair with her best friend and that he wants a divorce. In addition, her mother has been diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer. The patient also reports to having constant diarrhea, forgetfulness, irritability, and angry outbursts at her children.
Objective Data
A 42 year old female present to the ER with anxiety attacks. While the patient is explaining this to you she cries many times and has poor eye contact. You note that her blood pressure and heart rate elevates by 35-50 points while she is talking to you about her situation.
Nursing Outcomes
-The patient will relate an increase in psychological and physiologic comfort.
-The patient will verbalize her own anxiety and coping patterns.
-The patient will effectively use 3 coping mechanisms to help with anxiety attacks.
-The patient will verbalize how to correctly take her PRN anti-anxiety medication the md prescribes.
-The patient will explores possible stressors and lifestyle changes she can change in order to help with the anxiety in her life.
-The patient verbalize interest in talking with a psychiatrist.
Nursing Interventions
-The nurse will assess the patient’s psychological and physiologic comfort.
-The nurse will encourage the patient to verbalize her own anxiety and coping patterns.
-The nurse will help the patient develop 3 coping mechanisms to help with the patient anxiety attacks.
-The nurse will educate the patient on how to correctly take the PRN anti-anxiety medication prescribed by the md.
-The nurse will encourage the patient to explore possible stressors and lifestyle changes she can change in order to help with the anxiety in her life.
-The nurse will provide the patient with a psychiatrist refer per md request.