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You can use this guide to help you develop your nursing care plan and nursing interventions for impaired tissue integrity. What constitutes our body’s protection against external threats? Yes, it’s the integumentary system. Specifically, our skin, cornea, subcutaneous tissues, and mucous membranes are our first line of defense against threats from the external environment. In a normal setting, these defenses are adequate to defend the body from any threats. However, some factors may cause impairment or a break in this line of defense, causing impairment of tissue integrity. The most common cause includes physical trauma (e.g., car accidents, sports injuries, cuts, blunt trauma, etc.). Other causes can be related to thermal factors (e.g., burns, frostbites), or chemical injury (e.g., adverse reactions to drugs), infection, nutritional imbalances, fluid imbalances, and altered circulation (e.g., pressure ulcers). A break in tissue integrity is usually repaired by the body very well. However, there are circumstances that it doesn’t repair it at all and replaces the damaged tissue with connective tissue. When tissue integrity is left untreated, it could cause local or systemic infection and ultimately lead to necrosis. See Also: Risk for Impaired Skin Integrity Care Plan » Other factors include age, weight loss, poor nutrition and hydration, excessive moisture and dryness, smoking, and other conditions affecting blood flow. Signs and SymptomsImpaired skin integrity is characterized by the following signs and symptoms:
Goals and OutcomesThe following are the common goals and expected outcomes for impaired tissue integrity. Use them in writing your short term or long term goals for your impaired tissue integrity care plan:
Nursing Assessment and Rationales for Impaired Tissue IntegrityAssessment is required to recognize possible problems that may have lead to Impaired Tissue Integrity and identify any episode that may transpire during nursing care. 1. Determine etiology (e.g., acute or chronic wound, burn, dermatological lesion, pressure ulcer, leg ulcer). 2. Assess the site of impaired tissue integrity and its condition. 3. Assess characteristics of the wound, including color, size (length, width, depth), drainage, and odor. 4. Assess changes in body temperature, specifically increased body temperature. 5. Assess the patient’s level of pain. 6. Monitor site of impaired tissue integrity at least once daily for color changes, redness, swelling, warmth, pain, or other signs of infection. 7. Monitor the status of the skin around the wound. Monitor patient’s skincare practices, noting the type of soap or other cleansing agents used, the temperature of the water, and frequency of skin cleansing. 8. Know signs of itching and scratching. 9. Assess patient’s nutritional status; refer for a nutritional consultation or institute dietary supplements. 10. Classify pressure ulcers by assessing the extent of tissue damage.
11. Monitor for proper placement of tubes, catheters, and other devices. Assess skin and tissue affected by the tape that secures these devices. Nursing Interventions and Rationales for Impaired Tissue IntegrityThe following are the therapeutic nursing interventions for Impaired Tissue Integrity nursing diagnosis: 1. Provide tissue care as needed. 2. Keep a sterile dressing technique during wound care. 3. Premedicate for dressing changes as necessary. 4. Wet the dressings thoroughly with sterile normal saline solution before removal. 5. Monitor patient’s continence status and minimize exposure of skin impairment site and other areas to moisture from incontinence, perspiration, or wound drainage. 6. If the patient is incontinent, implement an incontinence management plan. 7. Check every two (2) hours for proper placement of footboards, restraints, traction, casts, or other devices, and assess skin and tissue integrity. 8. Pay special attention to all high-risk areas such as bony prominences, skin folds, sacrum, and heels. 9. Identify a plan for debridement when necrotic tissue (eschar or slough) is present and if compatible with overall patient management goals 10. Encourage the use of pillows, foam wedges, and pressure-reducing devices. 11. Administer antibiotics as ordered. 12. Tell the patient to avoid rubbing and scratching. Provide gloves or clip the nails if necessary. 13. Encourage a diet that meets nutritional needs. 14. Discuss the relationship between adequate nutrition consisting of fluids, protein, vitamins B and C, iron, and calories. 15. For patients with limited mobility, use a risk assessment tool to assess immobility-related risk factors systematically. 16. Do not position the patient on the site of impaired tissue integrity. If ordered, turn and position the patient at least every two (2) hours and carefully transfer the patient. 17. Maintain the head of the bed at the lowest degree of elevation possible. 18. Educate patient about proper nutrition, hydration, and methods to maintain tissue integrity. 19. Teach skin and wound assessment and ways to monitor for signs and symptoms of infection, complications, and healing. 20. Instruct patient, significant others, and family in the proper care of the wound, including handwashing, wound cleansing, dressing changes, and application of topical medications). 21. Educate the patient on the need to notify the physician or nurse. Recommended ResourcesRecommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources. Disclosure: Included below are affiliate links from Amazon at no additional cost from you. We may earn a small commission from your purchase. For more information, check out our privacy policy.
See alsoOther recommended site resources for this nursing care plan: References and SourcesRecommended resources for the nursing diagnosis impaired tissue integrity and care plan:
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