Question

A patient has sustained a spinal cord injury and is no longer able to get in and out of the bathtub without assistance. Which nursing diagnosis appropriately addresses this problem?

1) Total Self-care Deficit
2) Bathing/Hygiene Self-care Deficit
3) Dressing/Grooming Self-care deficit
4) Activity Intolerance

Answer 1

The most fitting nursing diagnosis for a patient unable to get in and out of the bathtub due to a spinal cord injury is Bathing/Hygiene Self-care Deficit, which is specific to challenges in bathing and maintaining hygiene.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nursing diagnosis that most appropriately addresses the issue of a patient who sustained a spinal cord injury and can no longer get in and out of the bathtub without assistance is Bathing/Hygiene Self-care Deficit. This diagnosis reflects the specific challenge the patient faces with bathing and maintaining hygiene independently due to their injury. It differs from Total Self-care Deficit, which would indicate a complete inability to care for oneself in all aspects of daily living, or Dressing/Grooming Self-care Deficit, which applies specifically to dressing and grooming activities. Activity Intolerance is inappropriate in this context because it typically relates to distress or difficulty that occurs during physical exertion, rather than the inability to perform a specific task such as bathing.