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Included in this nursing care plan guide are nine (9) nursing diagnosis for major depression. Get to know the nursing assessment, interventions, goals, and related factors to the different nursing diagnosis for major depression.
What is Major Depression?
Major depression (or major depressive disorder) is classified under mood disorders which are characterized by disturbances in the regulation of mood, behavior, and affect that go beyond the normal fluctuations that most people experience.
You can learn more about major depression in our study guide here.
Nursing Care Plans for Major Depression
Nursing care plan goals for patients with major depression includes determining a degree of impairment, assessing the client’s coping abilities, assisting the client to deal with the current situation, providing for meeting psychological needs, and promote health and wellness.
Here are nine (9) nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnosis for major depression:
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- Risk For Self-Directed Violence
- Impaired Social Interaction
- Spiritual Distress
- Chronic Low Self-Esteem
- Disturbed Thought Processes
- Self-Care Deficit
- Grieving
- Hopelessness
- Deficient Knowledge
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Risk For Self-Directed Violence
Nursing Diagnosis
- Risk for self-directed violence
Risk factors
- Anhedonia, helplessness, hopelessness
- Loneliness
- Social isolation
- Severe personality disorder/ depression/ psychosis, substance abuse
Possibly evidenced by
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- Previous attempts of violence.
- Suicidal plan (clear, specific, lethal method and available means).
- Suicidal behavior (attempts, ideation, plan and available means).
- When depression begins to lift, clients may have energy to carry out suicidal plan.
Desired Outcomes
- Patient will seek help when experiencing self-destructive impulses.
- Patient will have a behavioral manifestation of absent depression.
- Patient will have satisfaction with social circumstances and achievements of life goals.
- Patient will identify at least two-three people he/she can seek out for support and emotional guidance when he/she is feeling self-destructive before discharge.
- Patient will not inflict any harm to self or others.
- Patient will identify support and support groups with he/she is in contact within one month.
- Patient will state that he/she wants to live.
- Patient will start working on constructive plans for the future.
- Patient will demonstrate compliance with any medication or treatment plan within the next two weeks.
- Patient will demonstrate alternative ways of dealing with negative feelings and emotional stress.
| Nursing Interventions | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Nursing Assessment | |
| Identify the level of suicide precautions needed. If there is a high-risk, does a hospitalization requires? Or if there is a low risk, will the client be safe to go home with supervision from a family member or a friend? For example, does client:
| A client with a high-risk will require a constant supervision and a safe environment. |
| Check for the availability of required supply of medications needed. | Normally, a suicidal client’s medical supply should be limited to 3-5 days. |
| Therapeutic Interventions | |
| Encourage clients to express feelings (anger, sadness, guilt) and come up with alternative ways to handle feelings of anger and frustration. | Clients can learn alternative ways of dealing with overwhelming emotions and gain a sense of control over his/her life. |
| Contact the family, arrange for crisis counseling. Activate links to self-help groups. | Clients need a network of resources to help diminish personal feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and isolation. |
| If, hospitalized, follow unit protocols. | There are different measures for the suicidal client in either the hospital, clinic, and community. |
| Implement a written no-suicide contract. | Reinforces action the client can take when feeling suicidal. |
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Recommended Resources
Recommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources.
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- Nursing Care Plans: Nursing Diagnosis and Intervention (10th Edition)
An awesome book to help you create and customize effective nursing care plans. We highly recommend this book for its completeness and ease of use. - Nurse’s Pocket Guide: Diagnoses, Prioritized Interventions and Rationales
A quick-reference tool to easily select the appropriate nursing diagnosis to plan your patient’s care effectively. - NANDA International Nursing Diagnoses: Definitions & Classification, 2021-2023Â (12th Edition)
The official and definitive guide to nursing diagnoses as reviewed and approved by the NANDA-I. This book focuses on the nursing diagnostic labels, their defining characteristics, and risk factors – this does not include nursing interventions and rationales. - Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 12th Edition Revised Reprint with 2021-2023 NANDA-I® Updates
Another great nursing care plan resource that is updated to include the recent NANDA-I updates. - Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5(TM))
Useful for creating nursing care plans related to mental health and psychiatric nursing. - Ulrich & Canale’s Nursing Care Planning Guides, 8th Edition
Claims to have the most in-depth care plans of any nursing care planning book. Includes 31 detailed nursing diagnosis care plans and 63 disease/disorder care plans. - Maternal Newborn Nursing Care Plans (3rd Edition)
If you’re looking for specific care plans related to maternal and newborn nursing care, this book is for you. - Nursing Diagnosis Manual: Planning, Individualizing, and Documenting Client Care (7th Edition)
An easy-to-use nursing care plan book that is updated with the latest diagnosis from NANDA-I 2021-2023. - All-in-One Nursing Care Planning Resource: Medical-Surgical, Pediatric, Maternity, and Psychiatric-Mental Health (5th Edition)
Definitely an all-in-one resources for nursing care planning. It has over 100 care plans for different nursing topics.
See also
Other recommended site resources for this nursing care plan:
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- Nursing Care Plans (NCP): Ultimate Guide and Database
Over 150+ nursing care plans for different diseases and conditions. Includes our easy-to-follow guide on how to create nursing care plans from scratch. - Nursing Diagnosis Guide and List: All You Need to Know to Master Diagnosing
Our comprehensive guide on how to create and write diagnostic labels. Includes detailed nursing care plan guides for common nursing diagnostic labels.
Other care plans for mental health and psychiatric nursing:
- Alcohol Withdrawal | 5 Care Plans
- Anxiety and Panic Disorders | 7 Care Plans
- Bipolar Disorders | 6 Care Plans
- Major Depression | 9 Care Plans
- Personality Disorders | 4 Care Plans
- Schizophrenia | 6 Care Plans
- Sexual Assault | 1 Care Plan
- Substance Dependence and Abuse | 8 Care Plans
- Suicide Behaviors | 3 Care Plans
References and Sources
References and recommended sources for this care plan guide for major depressive disorder:
- Boyd, M. A. (Ed.). (2008). Psychiatric nursing: Contemporary practice. lippincott Williams & wilkins.
- Keltner, N. L. (2013). Psychiatric nursing. Elsevier Health Sciences.
- Videbeck, S. L. (2010). Psychiatric-mental health nursing. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
- Doenges, M. E., Moorhouse, M. F., & Murr, A. C. (2016). Nurse’s pocket guide: Diagnoses, prioritized interventions, and rationales. FA Davis. [Link]
- Gulanick, M., & Myers, J. L. (2016). Nursing Care Plans: Diagnoses, Interventions, and Outcomes. Elsevier Health Sciences. [Link]
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