3/4/2020 4 Child Abuse Nursing Care Plans - Nurseslabs

4 Child Abuse Nursing Care Plans

By Paul Martin, BSN, R.N. - Updated on April 10, 2019

The term child abuse is used to describe any neglect or mistreatment of infants or
children including in iction of emotional pain, physical injury, or sexual exploitation.
Neglect or abuse is most often in icted by the child’s biological parents. Others who
have been implicated include foster parents, babysitters, boyfriends, friends, and
daycare workers. Nurses are legally and morally responsible to identify children who
may be maltreated and to report ndings to protect the child from further abuse.

Neglect is the most common form of abuse and may include deprivation of basic
physical or emotional needs: food, clothing, shelter, healthcare, education, a ection,
love, and nurturing. Emotional abuse stems from rejection, isolation, and/or
terrorizing the child.

Physical abuse may result in burns, bruises, fractures, lacerations, or poisoning.

Infants may su er from “shaken baby syndrome” with severe or fatal neurologic
injuries caused
by violent shaking of the infant. Signs of shaken baby syndrome include retinal and
subarachnoid hemorrhage. Signs of sexual abuse include bruising or bleeding of the
anus or genitals, genital discharge, odor, severe itching or pain, and sexually
transmitted diseases. A discrepancy between the nature of the child’s injuries and the
reported cause of injury is a frequent clue that abuse has occurred.

Nursing Care Plans

The major nursing care planning goals for the child experiencing abuse includes
ensuring adequate nutrition, safety of the abused child, relief from anxiety, improving

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parenting skills and building parental con dence.

Here are four (4) nursing care plans (NCP) and nursing diagnosis (NDx) for child
abuse:

1. Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements

2. Anxiety

3. Impaired Parenting

4. Risk for Trauma

 1 - Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements 

Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements

Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements: Intake of nutrients
insu cient to meet metabolic needs.

May be related to

Inability to ingest food

Parental neglect on nutritional status

Possibly evidenced by

Loss of subcutaneous fat

Inadequate amount of food

Weight loss

Malnutrition

Withholding of food by parent/caretaker

Failure to thrive

Desired Outcomes

Child will manifest no further weight loss and, if malnourished, will gain 2.2 lb (1
kg)
per week.

Nursing Interventions Rationale

Assess for signs and symptoms of A child with nutritional de ciency
malnutrition. manifest decreased attention span,
confused, pale and dry skin,
subcutaneous tissue loss, dull and

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Monitor intake and output and food
intake; Weigh client daily.
Assess and record the amount,
consistency, and color of stools and
emesis.
Maintain good oral hygiene prior meals.
Encourage parents to assist the child
during feeding.
Encourage small, frequent feedings high
in carbohydrates and protein.
Encourage adequate rest periods.
Consider the possible need for enteral
or parenteral nutritional support as
indicated.
Consult and refer to a dietitian or
nutritional support team for dietary
counseling.
 1 - Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements
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4 Child Abuse Nursing Care Plans - Nurseslabs
brittle hair, and red, swollen tongue and
mucous membranes.
Allows the evaluation of the number of
calories being consumed per day and
progress of nutritional therapy.
Provide a guide on the absorption of
nutrients in the body.
Promotes good appetite and enhances
the taste of foods/ uids.
Eating as a self-care activity enhances
self-esteem.
Small meals decrease fatigue and are
easier to tolerate.
Minimizes fatigue and improve the
child’s appetite.
Nutritional support may be
recommended for those who are
unable to maintain nutritional intake by
the oral route.
A dietitian or nutritional support team
can
individualize the child’s diet within
prescribed restrictions
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Nursing Care Plan: The Ultimate Guide and Database – the ultimate database
of nursing care plans for di erent diseases and conditions! Get the complete list!

Nursing Diagnosis: The Complete Guide and List – archive of di erent nursing
diagnoses with their de nition, related factors, goals and nursing interventions
with rationale.

Pediatric Nursing Care Plans

Nursing care plans for pediatric conditions and diseases: 

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3/4/2020 4 Child Abuse Nursing Care Plans - Nurseslabs

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Otitis Media | 4 Care Plans

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Paul Martin, BSN, R.N.

Paul Martin is a registered nurse with a bachelor of science in nursing since 2007. Having worked as a medical-
surgical nurse for ve years, he handled di erent kinds of patients and learned how to provide individualized
care to them. Now, his experiences working in the hospital is carried over to his writings to help aspiring students
achieve their goals. He is currently working as a nursing instructor and have a particular interest in nursing
management, emergency care, critical care, infection control, and public health. As a writer at Nurseslabs, his
goal is to impart his clinical knowledge and skills to students and nurses helping them become the best version of
themselves and ultimately make an impact in uplifting the nursing profession.

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