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An Example of the Nursing Process

The nursing process can be a confusing concept for nursing

students to grasp. Below is an example of the process from
start to finish in a story like fashion:

Assessment

John visits his general physician on Monday because he was

feeling sick over the weekend. When he is called back from
the waiting room, the nurse on staff takes his temperature,
heart rate, and blood pressure. She then asks John a series
of questions about how he's been feeling lately. The nurse
notes his responses when he says he's been having difficulty
breathing and has been feeling very tired. She also sees on
John's medical history that he has had previous problems
with his cholesterol levels and blood pressure. John also has
a blood sample taken during his doctor's visit.

Diagnosis

The nurse looks over John's symptoms and notes that his
heart-rate is higher than average and his blood pressure is
elevated. She also considers that he has experienced fatigue
and shortness of breath before when his cholesterol levels
were very high. The nurse determines that John is
experiencing Hyperlipidemia, also known as having high
levels of fat within the blood. John's blood tests confirm this
hypothesis. The nurse is also concerned that John is at risk
for heart disease.

Planning

John returns on Tuesday for a follow-up visit. The nurse sits

down with him in a closed room and explains his cholesterol
levels and high blood pressure. She suggests that John be
put on medication to help lower these numbers and
recommends he exercise at least twice a week. The nurse
also tells John he should stay away from salty foods and eat
less red meat. John agrees with the nurse, and they setup a
follow-up appointment two weeks later. The nurse reminds
John to call if there are any changes in his condition, or if he
starts to feel worse.

Implementation

John is prescribed the medication and takes it as

recommended. One week later, he has a day where he feels
especially sick and calls the doctor's office. The nurse
explains that the medication could cause nausea as a side-
effect and advises John to drink Ginger-Ale and avoid any
foods that generally upset his stomach. John continues taking
the medication and goes to the gym four times during the two-
week period. Once the two weeks has passed, he returns to
the doctor's office for his follow-up appointment

Evaluation

When John returns, the nurse asks him a series of questions

about how he's been feeling. John replies that he has been
having an easier time breathing and feels significantly less
tired since exercising and taking the medication. The nurse
marks "Patient's Condition Improved" on his official medical
records and congratulates John on his well being. She then
advises him to remain on the medication for one more month
and to continue his exercise.

Although there are calculated steps behind the nurse's

approach, her methods are extremely friendly and warming
and care is taken to treat the patient like a human being. As
you can see, the nursing process will feel like second nature
when put into real-world practice.

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