Nursing Diagnosis Outcome Criteria Nursing Intervention Rationale

Short-term:
Ineffective Coping r/t After 3 days of nursing  Provide a safe environment for the client.
inadequate resources interventions, client
and insufficient social will be able to
support verbalize feelings  Continually assess the client’s potential
congruent with for suicide. Remain aware of this suicide
behavior in a safe potential at all times.
manner by talking with
staff members.  Call the client by name. Ascertain how the
client prefers to be addressed.
Long-term:
After 1 month of  Provide opportunity for the client to
nursing interventions, release tension as problems are discussed.
the client will  Discuss client’s view of and concerns
demonstrate an about situation and feelings.
increased ability to  Reorient the client to person, place, and
cope with anxiety, time as indicated (call the client by name,
stress, or frustration. tell the client your name, tell the client
where he or she is, and so forth).
 Spend time with the client.
 Initially assign the same staff members to
work with the client whenever possible.
 Approach client in a calm, unhurried
manner using a moderate-level ton of
voice. Avoid being overly cheerful.
 Provide silence and actively listen.
 Accept the client's verbalizations of
feelings as real and give support for
expressions of emotions.
 Allow the client to try. Stay with and
support the client if she or she desires.
 Physical safety of the client is a priority.
Many common items may be used in a
self-destructive manner.
 Clients with depression may have a
potential for suicide that may or may
not be expressed and that may change
with time.
 Using the client's name enhances sense
of self and promotes individuality and
self-esteem.
 to relieve despair, hopelessness, and so
forth.
 to provide consistent emotional support
 Repeated presentation of reality is
concrete reinforcement for the client.
Providing reinforcement for reality
orientation decreases rumination.
 Your physical presence is reality.
 The client's ability to respond to others
may be impaired. It facilitates familiarity
and trust.
 Being overly cheerful may indicate to the
client that being cheerful is the goal and
that other feelings are not acceptable.
 The client may not communicate if
you're talking too much. Presence and
use of active listening will communicate
your interest and concern.
 Proclaiming the client's feelings to be
inappropriate or belittling them is
detrimental.
 Crying is a healthy way of expressing
feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and
 Provide privacy if the client desires and it
is safe to do so.
 Interact with the client on topics with
which he or she is comfortable. Do not
probe for information.
 Assist client to identify and encourage
their use of previously successful coping
behaviors. Explore which strategies have
been successful and which may have led
to negative consequences.
 Teach client about positive coping
strategies and stress management skills,
such as increasing physical exercise,
expressing feelings verbally or in a
journal, or meditation techniques.
 Teach the client about the problem-
solving process: explore possible options,
examine the consequences of each
alternative, select and implement an
alternative and evaluate the results.
 Provide positive feedback at each step of
the process. Assist client in selecting
another alternative.
despair. The client may not feel
comfortable crying and may need
encouragement or privacy.
 May be threatening and am discourage
communication.
 Previously used coping strategies may be
helpful in current situation. They might
remember that they have survived a
similar situation. Some coping strategies
can be self-destructive.
 to enhance knowledge of stress
management techniques and build new
and practice coping skills.
 to facilitate client's confidence in the use
of coping skills.
 to give client many opportunities for
success, encourage him or her to persist
in problem-solving, and enhance
confidence. To learn to survive making a
mistake.