Nursing Care for Bipolar Disorder

Potential Nursing Diagnoses Related to

Mania

Risk of injury

Disturbed sleeping patterns related to hyperinsomnia

Potential Nursing Diagnoses Related to

Depression

Risk of suicide

Impaired function

Potential Nursing Diagnoses Related to Both

Ineffective coping patterns

Knowledge deficit

Nursing Interventions

Injury risk: monitor the patient closely and create and environment to reduce risk

Suicide risk: provide a safe environment to reduce the risk of suicide

Sleeping patterns: promote good sleep hygiene

Impaired social interaction: assist the patient in developing improved methods

for social functioning

Coping skills: encourage the use of adaptive coping skills

Knowledge deficit: educate the patient on the disease process, treatment, and
management

Building and maintain a therapeutic relationship

Impaired Social Interaction

Assessment findings: impaired employment history

Assist the patient in developing new ways to manage occupational-related

stressors

Rationale: The patient will benefit from learning new ways to manage stress

Assist the patient in directing focus on reality and present situations

Assist the patient in developing approaches that work the best for current issues

Rationale: The patient needs support to develop new social skills and test new
social situations to promote engagement

Implementation of Nursing Interventions

Injury risk: Restrict access to machinery, high ledges

Suicide risk: place on suicide watch. Ensure that a qualified staff member is no
more than an arms length away from the patient at all times. Remove any
potentially hazardous items from the room, such as blind cords, wires, and tubing,
and restrict access to objects such as silverware, pens and pencils

Sleeping patterns: promote good sleep hygiene by encouraging a calm ritual

before bed. Limit coffee to the morning hours.

Function: encourage group activities

Coping skills: identify currently used coping skills. Assist the patient in developing
new skills

Knowledge deficit: teach the patient about their condition, principles of

management, and the importance of medication compliance

Therapeutic relationship: build rapport, maintain a secure and safe environment,

avoid use of force or restrains whenever possible, establish a therapeutic alliance by
employing empathetic and nonjudgmental attitude,

Nursing Outcomes

The patient will remain free of injury for the duration of the visit

The patient will experience resolution of suicidal ideation by the end of the day

The patient will experience restoration of sleeping patterns by 2200 hours tonight

The patient will regain function as evidenced by performing hygienic

activities independently and changing into clean and appropriate clothing by the end
of the next day

The patient will verbalize at least two new effective coping skill by discharge