Risk for Infection - NCP for Anemia

Nursing Care Plan for Anemia

Anemia is a condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to body tissues.

Other types of anemia include:
  • Anemia due to B12 deficiency
  • Anemia due to folate deficiency
  • Anemia due to iron deficiency
  • Anemia of chronic disease
  • Hemolytic anemia
  • Idiopathic aplastic anemia
  • Megaloblastic anemia
  • Pernicious anemia
  • Sickle cell anemia
  • Thalassemia

If the problem develops slowly, symptoms that may occur first include:
  • Feeling grumpy
  • Feeling weak or tired more often than usual, or with exercise
  • Headaches
  • Problems concentrating or thinking

If the anemia gets worse, symptoms may include:
  • Blue color to the whites of the eyes
  • Brittle nails
  • Light-headedness when you stand up
  • Pale skin color
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sore tongue
Some types of anemia may have other symptoms.

NCP for Anemia

Nursing Diagnosis for Anemia : Risk for Infection related to an inadequate secondary defenses (decreased hemoglobin, leukopenia, or a decrease in granulocytes (inflammatory response depressed).

Goal: Infection does not occur.

Expected outcomes:
  • identify behaviors to prevent / reduce the risk of infection.
  • improve wound healing, free purulent drainage or erythema, and fever.
Interventions :

1. Increase good hand washing; by the care givers and patients.
Rational: to prevent cross contamination / bacterial colonization. Note: patients with severe anemia / aplastic be at risk due to the normal flora of the skin.

2. Give skin care, perianal, and oral carefully.
Rational: reducing the risk of damage to the skin / tissue and infection.

3. Maintain strict aseptic technique on the procedure / treatment of wounds.
Rational: to reduce the risk of colonization / infection of bacteria.

4. Motivation changes in position / ambulation often, coughing and deep breathing exercises.
Rationale: increased pulmonary ventilation all segments and help mobilize secretions to prevent pneumonia.

5. Monitor / limit visitors. Give isolation room whenever possible.
Rational: limiting exposure to bacteria / infection. Protection in isolation required in aplastic anemia, when the immune response is very disturbed.

6. Increase fluid intake adequate.
Rational: to assist in the dilution secret breathing, to ease spending and prevent stasis of body fluids such as respiratory and kidney.

7. Observe erythema / wound fluid.
Rational: indicators of local infection.
Note: the formation of pus may not exist when granulocytes depressed.

8. Monitor body temperature. Note the chills and tachycardia with or without fever.
Rational: the process of inflammation / infection require evaluation / treatment.

9. Take a specimen for culture / sensitivity as indicated (collaboration)
Rational: to distinguish the presence of infection, identify specific pathogens and influence the choice of treatment.

10. Leave a topical antiseptic; systemic antibiotics (collaboration).
Rational: may be used to reduce colonization or prophylactic treatment for localized infection process.