Nursing Diagnosis for Appendicitis

Nursing Diagnosis for Appendicitis

Appendicitis is a condition where the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus. The appendix is a finger-shaped pouch that comes out of the intestine in the lower right side of the abdomen.

The appendix causing pain usually starts around the navel and then shifts to the lower right abdomen. The pain of appendicitis usually increases over a period of 12 to 18 hours and eventually become very severe.

Appendicitis can affect anyone, but is most common in people between the ages of 10 and 30 years. Standard appendicitis treatment is surgical removal of the appendix.

Signs and symptoms of appendicitis may include:

• Pain that starts around the navel and often shifts to the lower right abdomen.
• Sharp pain, for several hours.
• Feels soft when pressed on the lower right abdomen.
• Pain in the lower right abdomen that occurs when the place is pressed and then the pressure is quickly released.
• Pain that gets worse when coughing, running or doing other movements.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Loss of appetite.
• Mild fever.
• Constipation.
• Inability to pass gas / fart.
• Diarrhea.
• Swelling of the abdomen.

Appendicitis can cause serious complications, such as:

• A ruptured appendix. If the appendix ruptured, the contents of the intestines and infectious organisms can leak into the abdominal cavity. This can lead to infection of the abdominal cavity (peritonitis).
• A pocket of pus that forms in the stomach. If the appendix has ruptured, infection and seepage of intestinal contents can form an abscess - a pocket of infection (abscess appendix) about appendectomy. Appendiceal abscess requires treatment before it tears abscess, causing infection wider than the abdominal cavity.
• The pain of appendicitis may change from time to time, so that the treatment plan can sometimes be difficult. In addition, abdominal pain can arise from a number of health problems other than appendicitis. To help diagnose appendicitis, the doctor will probably take a history of signs and symptoms and perform a thorough physical examination in the stomach.

Nursing Diagnosis for Appendicitis

1. Ineffective Breathing Pattern related to the act of anesthetics.
2. Acute Pain related to the surgical incision.
3. Risk for Fluid Volume Deficit related to vomiting.
4. Imbalanced Nutrition: Less than Body Requirements related to anorexia.
5. Risk of Infection related to surgical incision.