Nursing diagnosis and hypertension

Dear Mom,

I know you have another appointment with the doctor regarding your high blood pressure. So I wanted to mention some areas that the nurse might want to discuss with you. There are several things that are important to monitor when one has high blood pressure. These are choices and habits that will effect your blood pressure, and consequently, your health. So it is really important that you think about how you handle these situations and be ready to discuss them with the nurse.

The nurse will ask you about your diet and whether you are able to maintain a healthy weight through eating a balanced diet, including vegetables and fruits. Also, she/he will want to answer any questions you might have about your understanding of what makes a healthy diet for management of blood pressure.(1)  She/he would like to know if you understand the steps that you need to take to manage your blood pressure and why this is important for your long term health.(1)  Your medications, how you take them and whether any side effects are making it hard to stay on schedule should be discussed.(1)  The nurse will also ask if you have had any shortness of breath, pain in your chest, episodes of feeling lightheaded or dizzy.(2) 

I understand from that you and Dad like to go out to restaurants several times a week and you are wondering how that will work with following a American Heart Association diet. So I hope you bring up these issues when you meet with the nurse. I am sure she would be happy to talk with you about your concerns.

Take care Mom, and I will be seeing you soon,

Your daughter, Mary




Following is some more info that can help you as the nurse for this patient:

Hopper, Student workbook for Understanding medical surgical nursing.

1 Ackley, B. (2008). Nursing diagnosis handbook: An evidence-based guide to planning care (8th ed.). St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby Elsevier.

2 Nanda Nursing Interventions. (n.d.). Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://nandanursinginterventions.blogspot.com/2012/05/4-nursing-diagnosis-interventions-for.html

3 Hopper, P., & Williams, L. (2007). Student workbook for Understanding medical surgical nursing (3rd ed., p. 428). Philadelphia: F.A. Davis.