IMPAIRED MEMORY Nursing Care Plan

As we grow older, we accumulate memories, and most of them are happy moments in our life that we did not want to forget. We have memories of our love ones, friends, pets and even things we love like the house, the car, the plants we plotted, even the food we ate. At the same time, we grew from these memories. But what if one day, you lose some of those? What if you keep on forgetting something, how is your life having a problem of remembering? Ms. Chou, 29 years old, stopped from being an actress on a TV Channel after a car accident occurred 3 months ago. She had a severe head trauma, although she survived the accident, she have been manifesting loss of memory and difficulty of remembering some actions taken and situations. Her impaired memory leads to devastation in her life especially at her career. Although this case can be lead to more than one nursing care diagnoses, we will focus on impaired memory nursing care plan. Related nursing care plan is Risk for Injury. Below is a sample of impaired memory nursing care plan of Ms. Chou.

Assessment:

Subjective: "Because of my head injury 3 months ago, I frequently experiencing memory loss, its like sometimes I forgot what I was performed or I can't remember someone said to me", as verbalized by the patient.

Objectives:

- Visible marks of operation in the head caused by head injury.

- Mild Anxiety

- Vital signs are normal

- Visible eyebags

Diagnosis:

Impaired memory related to inability to perform if a behavior was performed secondary to head injury.

Planning:

After 4 hours of nursing intervention, the patient will report increased satisfaction with memory in which the patient can identify at least three techniques to improve memory and can relate factors that deter memory.

Interventions:

- Discuss with Ms. Chou about her beliefs about memory deficits. You can politely correct her misinformation and explain to her that negative expectations can result in memory deficits.

- Assess Ms. Chou, the patient, for factors that may negatively affect her memory such as pathophysiologic, literacy and stressors. If the patient has difficulty concentrating, explain to her the favorable effects of relaxation and imagery. Teach her with two or three of the following methods to improve memory skills: One is to write things down, she can use lists, notes, or calendars to write things she needs to remember or to do. Second, she will use auditory cues, like timers, alarm clocks in conjunction with the first method, write things down. The third one is to use the environmental cues. If she might remove something from its usual place, then she must return it to its normal location after it has served its purpose as a reminder.

- Instruct Ms. Chou to always have a specific places for specific items; keep items in their proper places like keys on the key drawers. She must put reminders in appropriate places such as place umbrella to be used tomorrow near door. Use visual images by creating picture or pictures in her mind when she wants to remember something. Example is that when she likes to go to a barber shop then picture out herself on her mind that she are in a barber shop talking to the barber; the more bizarre the picture, the more likely she will remember. Use active observation and pay attention to details around her, she must be alert to the environment. Rehearse items she wants to remember by repeating them aloud or writing them on paper. Use self-instruction and say things aloud like "I'm putting my shoes near my bag so I can remember bringing them to my work". Divide information into small chunks that can be remembered easily, like remembering cellphone number, zero-nine, one-nine, three-two-three, two-four-two-four. Organize information into logical categories like shampoo and bath soap, toothpaste and mouthwash. Use first-letter cues and make associations like to remember to bring the shoes, insulin, lunch box, vest and radio, remember the word silver.

- Tell Ms. Chou, the patient, that when trying to learn or remember something, minimize her distractions, do not rush and maintain some from of organization of routine tasks. Carry a note pad or calendar.

Evaluation:

After 4 hours of nursing intervention, the patient reported increased satisfaction with memory in which the patient could identify at least three techniques to improve memory and could relate factors that deter memory.

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For more samples of nursing care plan you are free to check it out in our NCP LIST page.