2 Anorexia Nervosa Nursing Care Plans

Nursing Care Plans |

NCP-Anorexia Nervosa Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder that causes people to obsess about their weight and the food they eat. People with anorexia nervosa attempt to maintain a weight that’s far below normal for their age and height. To prevent weight gain or to continue losing weight, people with anorexia nervosa may starve themselves or exercise excessively.

Anorexia nervosa is a disease that affects all organ systems, principally the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. However, complications can also involve other systems, including the GI, renal, reproductive, neurologic, orofacial, dermatologic, and hematologic symptoms.

A typical case of anorexia nervosa involves a young person (teenager or young adult) who is mildly overweight or of normal weight and who begins a diet and exercise plan to lose weight. As she loses weight and receives initial positive reinforcement for this behavior (eg, compliments by peers on her appearance), the reward is high and causes an inability to stop this behavior once an ideal weight is achieved.

Nursing Diagnoses:

1. Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements

Common Related Factors	Defining Characteristics
Severe fear of obesity

Severely distorted self-concept, self-esteem, and/or body image

Absence of physical conditions that would explain weight loss or prevent weight gainBody weight 15% to 29% or more below ideal weight for height

Self-restricted calorie intake despite hunger

Obsession with food, calories, weight, and control issuesCommon Expected Outcomes

Patient stops losing weight.

Patient begins to gain weight.

Patient recognizes eating disorder.NOC Outcomes

Nutritional Status: Food and Fluid Intake; Weight Control

NIC Interventions

Eating Disorders Management; Weight Gain Assistance; Nutritional Therapy

Ongoing Assessment

Actions/Interventions	Rationale
Record the patient’s weight and height on intake. Weigh regularly, maintaining standard conditions (i.e., same scale, same time of day, patient wearing similar clothes).	This ensures accurate record of weight changes.
Weigh the patient in a matter-of-fact manner without discussion.	This reduces risk of acting-out behaviors. Weight gain is only one aspect of the total therapeutic program; other critical factors include nutritional adequacy, behaviors related to eating, appropriate use of exercise, and development of a healthy body image.
Obtain weight history, including initial motivation for weight loss or food restrictions.	Clinical anorexia can follow ordinary weight loss dieting.
Conduct a nutritional assessment:	It is critical that the health care provider openly discuss and have an understanding of the complex food and weight-related behaviors of the patient so that appropriate supports can be integrated into the treatment plan.
Assess the patient’s beliefs and fears about food and weight gain	Excessive focus on food and weight can be a maladaptive method of coping with stress.
Knowledge about nutrition and sources of information	This information provides the basis for an individualized teaching plan about maintaining adequate nutritional intake.
Behaviors used to reduce calorie intake (dieting), to increase energy output (exercising), and generally to lose weight (vomiting, purging, and laxative abuse)	This provides data on patient thinking and thought distortions.
Assess cardiovascular, metabolic, renal, gastric, hematological, and endocrine system functioning.	Assessment provides data on the severity of malnutrition.
Monitor intake (i.e., daily food plans that track eating trends along with emotional states and triggering events). Record intake and output for the hospitalized patient.	These data help determine the patient’s actual caloric intake and eating behaviors.

Therapeutic Interventions

Actions/Interventions	Rationale
Prescribe appropriate nutrition and total calories per day to relieve acute starvation.	A gradual refeeding prescription ensures steady weight gain and reduces risk of medical complications.
Supervise all activities immediately before and after meals; maintain supervision consistency.	This decreases opportunity to engage in compensatory activities to reduce calorie intake.
Provide food and meals without comment.	This helps separate emotional behaviors from eating behaviors.
Set limits on all exercise but allow daily activity.	Preventing all forms of exercise may induce severe anxiety.
Assure the patient that treatment is not designed to produce obesity.	Patients have an overwhelming fear of weight gain and obesity.
Acknowledge any anger, sadness, or feeling of loss that the patient may have toward treatment.	This helps provide external emotional controls that have not yet been internalized by the patient.
Provide supplemental feedings and nutrition as indicated.	Nutritional supplements may be necessary if the patient is malnourished. Tube or parenteral feedings may be necessary if the patient is unable to allow herself or himself oral feedings.

2. Disturbed Body Image

Common Related Factors	Defining Characteristics
Difficulty coping with development and maturation

Inability to achieve unreasonable personal goals

Alexithymia (channeling uncomfortable feelings into behaviors such as self-starvation)Distorted views of one’s body weight and shape for age

Negative feelings about self and body

Self-loathing (impulsive or obsessive)

Intense fear of gaining or not being able to lose weightCommon Expected Outcomes

Patient identifies positive thoughts and feelings regarding body and self.

Patient identifies a direct means of coping with problems.NOC Outcome

Body Image

NIC Interventions

Self-Awareness Enhancement; Body Image Enhancement

Ongoing Assessment

Actions/Interventions	Rationale
Explore the patient’s understanding of his or her physical body, especially as it relates to maturation. Assess to what degree the patient’s negative body image and negative self-concept are related to overwhelming anxiety.	Patients with anorexia have a distorted body image.
Assess to what degree culture, religion, race, and gender influence the patient’s negative views of self.	Cultural and social norms about body size and shape may influence the patient’s thinking and feelings about his or her body image.
Determine the family or patient’s perceptions regarding psychological and physical changes brought about by anorexia.	These data need to be compared to the patient’s thinking prior to the onset of anorexia.
Obtain the patient’s assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses.	Patients learn they have the ability to handle day-to-day stress.
Assess the patient’s ability to identify “here and now” emotional states and precipitating events that trigger negative behaviors.	The patient may not be aware of the relationship between feelings and eating behaviors.

Therapeutic Interventions

Actions/Interventions	Rationale
Encourage reexamination of positive and negative self-perceptions.	The patient needs to develop a realistic understanding of his or her body image.
Encourage the patient to identify the differences between “real people” and celebrities.	Patients often use media reports of celebrities as a guide for their eating behaviors.
Encourage recognition, expression, and acceptance of unpleasant feelings.	Patients with anorexia have a need for control in multiple areas of their lives. Mastery over food may have become a method for reducing tensions.
Help the patient develop a realistic, acceptable perception of body image and food.	Patients must understand the complex health problems associated with anorexia.
Refer the patient to individual counseling and a support group for eating disorders.	Multiple approaches are needed to achieve long-term changes in behavior. Groups that come together for mutual support and guidance can provide long-term assistance.