Hopelessness – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan (2024)


There are instances when a person feels like his or her life is worthless and will never get better. This is a common example of hopelessness and can often occur when individuals seem to be feeling discouraged, depressed, or anxious about a sudden event. In the case of a patient suffering from spinal cord injury, he or she may feel hopeless in response to having permanent paralysis.

Hopelessness can result when someone is going through difficult times or unpleasant experiences. A person may feel overwhelmed, trapped, or insecure, or may have a lot of self-doubts due to multiple stresses and losses. He or she might think that challenges are unconquerable or that there are no solutions to the problems and may not be able to mobilize the energy needed to act on his or her own behalf.

Patient living in social isolation, who lacks social support system and resources, may also experience hopelessness. Other factors include poverty, being homeless, those with limited access to health care, and loss of belief in God’s care or loss of trust in prior spiritual beliefs.

Nursing Assessment for Hopelessness

Assessment is needed in order to recognize possible difficulties and events that may have lead to Hopelessness.

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AssessmentRationales
Assess physical appearances such as the grooming, posture, and hygiene.Patients who are experiencing hopelessness may not have the urge to participate in self-care activities.
Ascertain the role that illness presents in the patient’s hopelessness.Patient’s current situation may affect his or her physical functioning. Cancer often makes patients’ perception to extremes.
Assess the patient’s understanding of the situation, belief in self, and his or her own abilities.Patients may consider the peril is greater than their resources to manage it.
Assess the patient for and point out reasons for living.Interventions that build the awareness of reasons for living may lower feelings of hopelessness and reducesuicidal thoughts.
Assess patient’s willingness to eat, sleeping patterns, and daily activities.Alterations from these regular patterns are apparent during hopelessness. Patients may have decreased appetite and poor activity level. Patients may sleep more or experience insomnia.
Learn whether the patient perceives unachieved outcomes as failures or emphasizes failures instead of accomplishments.Feelings of hopelessness might develop when the patient sees failure as the end result of every effort he or she makes.
Evaluate the patient’s ability to establish goals, make decisions, and solve problems.Patients who are hopeless often think he or she is unable to meet established goals and incompetent to make anydecisions and solve problems.
Identify previous coping strategies and their effectiveness.Successful coping is determined by past experiences.
Take time to listen to verbalization of hopelessness, suicidal thoughts, and lack of self-worth.Suicidal ideation and behaviors are usually present in patients experiencing hopelessness.
Determine the patient’s social support system and possible source of hope.Patients in social isolation find it hard to improve their condition. Assessment and evaluation of support group may render the assistance the patient needs at this time.
Ascertain the patient’s expectations for the future.Dependence on others for help and treatments and uncertainty about events can add to a feeling of hopelessness.

Nursing Interventions for Hopelessness

The following are the therapeutic nursing interventions for Hopelessness:

InterventionsRationales
Encourage a positive mental perspective, discourage negative thoughts, and brace patient for negative results.Accurate information is generally favored by families; surprise information concerning a shift in status may cause the family to worry that information is being withheld from them.
Provide openings for the patient to verbalize feelings of hopelessness.The nurse promites a supportive environment by taking time to listen to the patient in a nonjudgemental way.
Manage to have consistency in staff appointed to care for the patient.This approach establishes trust, reduces the patient’s feeling of isolation, and may promote coping and restore hope.
Assist patient with looking at options and establishing goals that are relevant to him or her.Mutual goal setting guarantees that goals are achievable and helps to restore a cognitive-temporal sense of hope.
Encourage the patient to recognize his or her own strengths and abilities.Promoting awareness can facilitate the use of these strengths.
Work with the patient to set small, attainable goals.Mutual goal setting guarantees that goals are achievable and helps to restore a cognitive-temporal sense of hope.
Render physical care that the patient is unable to achieve and respect patient’s abilities.This approach overcomes weakness, guilt,and other negative perceptions.
Stay and spend time with the patient. Use empathy; try to understand what the patient is saying, and communicate this understanding to the patient.These approaches can inspire hope.Experiencing warmth, empathy, genuineness, and unconditional positive regard can greatly reduce feelings of hopelessness.
Assist the patient in establishing realistic goals by recognizing short-term goals and revising them as needed.Supervising the patient little by little makes the problem more manageable. Setting realistic goals is important so as not to be frustrated with the chance of not to accomplish them.
Help the patient in developing a realistic appraisal of the situation.Patients may not be aware of all the available resources and support groups that can help them move through this stressful life situation.
Acknowledge acceptance of expression of feelings.Active listening may help patients express themselves.
Promote an attitude of realistic hope.Stressing the patient’s intrinsic worth and seeing the immediate problem as manageable in time may provide support. Giving unrealistic hopes will not help the patient and might worsen the situation.
Send feelings of acceptance and understanding. Avoid false reassurances.An honest relationship facilitates problem-solving. False reassurances are never helpful to patients.
Provide time for patient to initiate interactions.Patients who have feelings of hopelessness require special moment to initiate relationships and sometimes are not able to.
Strengthen patient’s relationship with significant others; allow them to take part in patient’s care.Enhancing a sense of connectedness fosters hope. Concern from others may help change the patient’s focus from self.
Encourage family and significant others to display care, hope, and love for patient.Encouraging the family to present patient support, to understand patient’s feelings, and to be physically present and involved in care are approaches that allow the family to change patient’s hope state.
Practice touch, if appropriate and with authority, to show care, and encourage the family to do the same.This approach provides comfort and is necessary for the development of hope.
Present opportunities for the patient to manage care setting.When a hopeless patient is given opportunities to make choices, his or her perception of hopelessness may be reduced.
Promote the use of spiritual resources as desired.Religious practices may provide strength and inspiration.
Provide plant or pet therapy if possible.Taking care of pets or plants promotes redefining patient’s identity and makes him or her feel needed and loved.
Refer patient to self-help groups such as I Can Cope and Make Today Count.These groups enable the patient to acknowledge the love and care of others, and they foster sense of belonging.

Recommended Resources

Recommended nursing diagnosis and nursing care plan books and resources.

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See also

Other recommended site resources for this nursing care plan:

  • Nursing Care Plans (NCP): Ultimate Guide and Database MUST READ!
    Over 150+ nursing care plans for different diseases and conditions. Includes our easy-to-follow guide on how to create nursing care plans from scratch.
  • Nursing Diagnosis Guide and List: All You Need to Know to Master Diagnosing
    Our comprehensive guide on how to create and write diagnostic labels. Includes detailed nursing care plan guides for common nursing diagnostic labels.

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Gil Wayne, BSN, R.N.

Gil Wayne graduated in 2008 with a bachelor of science in nursing. He earned his license to practice as a registered nurse during the same year. His drive for educating people stemmed from working as a community health nurse. He conducted first aid training and health seminars and workshops for teachers, community members, and local groups. Wanting to reach a bigger audience in teaching, he is now a writer and contributor for Nurseslabs since 2012 while working part-time as a nurse instructor. His goal is to expand his horizon in nursing-related topics. He wants to guide the next generation of nurses to achieve their goals and empower the nursing profession.

Hopelessness – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan (2024)

FAQs

What is the nursing diagnosis for hopelessness? ›

Nursing Diagnosis: Hopelessness related to traumatic stress secondary to major depression, as evidenced by negative thinking, difficulty in establishing goals and social repression. Desired Outcomes: The patient will be able to express sentiments and accept life occurrences that are beyond control.

Is powerlessness A Nanda nursing diagnosis? ›

Among the nursing diagnoses experienced by patients after stroke, there is the powerlessness, in which NANDA-I defines as the "lived experience of lack of control over a situation, including a perception that the actions themselves do not affect, in a significant way, a result”.

What are the priority nursing interventions when caring for a patient with depression? ›

Nursing care plan goals for patients with major depression includes determining a degree of impairment, assessing the client's coping abilities, assisting the client to deal with the current situation, providing for meeting psychological needs, and promote health and wellness.

What is hopelessness? ›

Hopelessness is a feeling of despair or lack of hope that life can feel better than it does. These feelings often lead to a lack of investment or interest in life—and, at its most extreme, can lead to suicidal thoughts.

What is the nurse's role to maintain hope and avoid hopelessness? ›

Implications for nursing practice: Nurses can increase patients' hope by being present, taking time to talk, and being helpful. They must provide information and answer questions in a compassionate, positive, honest, and respectful manner.

Is loneliness a Nanda diagnosis? ›

Data were evaluated and summarized to reach conclusions and recommendations. Conclusions: The authors concluded with a recommendation that Loneliness replace Social Isolation as the primary nursing diagnosis in the NANDA International taxonomy.

What is powerlessness in nursing diagnosis? ›

Associate Professor of Nursing. Abstract. Powerlessness can be classified as both a subjective and objective feeling and is characterized by feelings of no control or a sense that one's actions will have no significant impact on an outcome.

What is nursing diagnosis for stress? ›

Nursing Diagnosis

Anxiety related to unconscious conflict about essential goals and values of life, threat to self-concept, positive or negative self-talk, or physiological factors (e.g. hyperthyroidism, pulmonary embolism, dysrhythmias).

What is Nanda approved nursing diagnosis? ›

In 1990 during the 9th conference of NANDA, the group approved an official definition of nursing diagnosis: “Nursing diagnosis is a clinical judgment about individual, family, or community responses to actual or potential health problems/life processes.

What interventions are good for depression? ›

Depression Treatments for Adults
  • Behavioral Therapy. ...
  • Cognitive Therapy. ...
  • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) ...
  • Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) ...
  • Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) ...
  • Psychodynamic Therapy. ...
  • Supportive Therapy. ...
  • Medications.

How should a nurse respond to a depressed patient? ›

Encourage patient to do as much as possible for self. The patient may need more direction with activities of daily living if depression is severe. Use sleep hygiene to encourage sleep. Engage the patient in a therapeutic relationship.

What are the types of hopelessness? ›

Here are the nine forms of hopelessness proposed by Scioli and Biller:
  • Alienation (attachment hopes) ...
  • Forsakenness (attachment and survival hopes) ...
  • Lack of inspiration (attachment and mastery hopes) ...
  • Powerlessness (mastery hopes) ...
  • Oppression (attachment and mastery hopes) ...
  • Limitedness (mastery and survival hopes)

What's another word for hopelessness? ›

In this page you can discover 20 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for hopelessness, like: despondency, desperation, helplessness, despondence, despair, despond, hope, powerlessness, self-loathing, desperateness and hopefulness.

What is hopelessness what leads to it? ›

Hopelessness is frequently associated with a desire to isolate, and with negative feelings such as helplessness and powerlessness. Feelings of hopelessness may be caused by a variety of events such as financial issues, relationship problems, health concerns, or other such negative circ*mstances.

What is the most appropriate nursing intervention for a client who has feelings of anxiety and helplessness in response to the loss of a loved one? ›

The most important intervention that nurses can provide is active listening and offering a supportive presence. Actively listening to the bereaved helps them express their feelings and relate the emotions and feelings related to the loss.

Why is hope important in nursing? ›

In nursing, hope is considered as an essential perception which helps the nurses to facilitate or continue in others. Moreover, by encouraging patients with hope, nurses can create a positive energy among patient who is suffering with chronic diseases such as cancer and AIDS.

Why is hope important for a patient? ›

Hope is important to a patient's quality of life and sense of well being. Patients place a tremendous amount of value in hope and cite it as the most important element that allows them to cope with information about a terminal diagnosis or poor prognosis. It can be derived from an external source or from within.

What are some interventions for social isolation? ›

These include support groups or counselling, telephone or web- based support, social skills training or simply provide opportunities for social interaction. This evidence briefing focuses on older people identified as being, or at risk of being, socially isolated and/or lonely.

What is social isolation nursing? ›

Nursing Diagnosis: Social Isolation related to changes in health, appearance, or mental state, secondary to AIDS/HIV, as evidenced by an openly stated, imposed sense of loneliness or a sense of rejection from others and absence of a strong social support system.

What can self care deficit be related to? ›

A self-care deficit is an inability to perform certain daily functions related to health and well-being, such as dressing or bathing. Self-care deficits can arise from physical or mental impairments, such as surgery recovery, depression, or age-related mobility issues.

What is powerlessness in patient? ›

Powerlessness means that the onus is upon the health system and the clinician to engage. Engagement means building a relationship on the basis of social, cultural and clinical knowledge and demonstrating a shift in the way clinicians choose to think and interact in patient care.

What is feeling powerless? ›

Powerlessness may be described as an overwhelming feeling of helplessness or inadequacy in stressful situations – making us more susceptible to anxiety, stress and depression. This may include an inability to exercise our freewill when it comes to expressing opinions, making decisions or asserting our personal choices.

What is powerlessness in chronic illness? ›

At some point in the course of chronic illness, individuals experience powerlessness. Powerlessness in the absolute sense is the inability to affect an outcome; the inability to have agency in one's own life (Miller, 2000). Powerlessness may be a real loss of power or a perceived loss of power.

What are the nursing diagnosis for anxiety? ›

Nursing Diagnosis: Social Isolation related to maturational crisis, fear in panic level, difficulty in interacting with others in the past, and repressed fears secondary to anxiety, as evidenced by the inability to communicate, withdrawal from others, lack of eye contact, insecurity, verbalization of feelings of ...

What are some nursing interventions for stress? ›

Tips for Managing Nurse Stress
  • Manage your diet. ...
  • Get plenty of sleep. ...
  • Exercise and stretch. ...
  • Practice meditation, mindfulness, or yoga. ...
  • Unwind by pursuing hobbies. ...
  • Share your feelings. ...
  • Many people find that recording their thoughts and feelings helps clear their mind.
  • Limit exposure to media, particularly social media.
31 Jul 2020

Is stress overload a nursing diagnosis? ›

Current literature sources on stress and its related factors were examined to support stress overload as a nursing diagnosis for inclusion in the NANDA International classification.

What are 10 nursing diagnosis? ›

The following are nursing diagnoses arising from the nursing literature with varying degrees of authentication by ICNP or NANDA-I standards.
  • Anxiety.
  • Constipation.
  • Pain.
  • Activity Intolerance.
  • Impaired Gas Exchange.
  • Excessive Fluid Volume.
  • Caregiver Role Strain.
  • Ineffective Coping.

Which is the best example of a nursing diagnosis? ›

Which is the best example of a nursing diagnosis? Ineffective Breastfeeding related to latching as evidenced by non-sustained suckling at the breast. The formulation of nursing diagnoses is unique to the nursing profession.

What are the five types of nursing diagnosis? ›

  • Problem-focused diagnosis. A patient problem present during a nursing assessment is known as a problem-focused diagnosis. ...
  • Risk nursing diagnosis. ...
  • Health promotion diagnosis. ...
  • Syndrome diagnosis.

What are some interventions for mental health? ›

Psychological interventions get to the root of the problem through different treatment approaches, including:
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
  • Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)
  • Medication evaluation and management.
  • Psychotherapy.
  • Trauma therapy.
  • Dual diagnosis treatment.
1 Apr 2022

What is the fastest way to treat depression? ›

As you start to feel better, you can add more challenging daily goals.
  1. Exercise. It temporarily boosts feel-good chemicals called endorphins. ...
  2. Eat healthy. ...
  3. Get enough sleep. ...
  4. Challenge negative thoughts. ...
  5. Check with your doctor before using supplements. ...
  6. Do something new. ...
  7. Avoid alcohol and other drugs.
1 Oct 2021

What are some interventions for anxiety? ›

Some of the management options for anxiety disorders include:
  • learning about anxiety.
  • mindfulness.
  • relaxation techniques.
  • correct breathing techniques.
  • cognitive therapy.
  • behaviour therapy.
  • counselling.
  • dietary adjustments.

What is the best way to communicate with a client who has depression? ›

  1. be patient and understanding.
  2. offer encouragement and acknowledge gains, no matter how small.
  3. ask if there is anything you can do to help, instead of asking what's wrong.
  4. acknowledge that the mental health condition isn't their fault.
  5. speak clearly and at a pace that they understand.

How can nurses promote mental health? ›

Just like in physical health, nurses can promote mental health by building good relationships with patients, encouraging healthy behaviours, and recognising and treating symptoms early. Again, as in physical health, there are many mental illnesses which need specialised treatment, these include: anxiety. depression.

How are people diagnosed with depression? ›

How is depression diagnosed? To be diagnosed with depression, an individual must have five depression symptoms every day, nearly all day, for at least 2 weeks. One of the symptoms must be a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities.

What is a three part nursing diagnosis? ›

The nursing diagnosis is comprised of three parts: problem/definition, etiology, characteristics and risk factors.

What are the 5 main components of a care plan? ›

What Are the Components of a Care Plan? Care plans are structured as a five-step framework: assessment, diagnosis, outcomes and planning, implementation, and evaluation.

How do you add problems and goals to your patient's care plan? ›

You can also add components to document additional treatment that the patient needs. To add a problem to the Care Plan, click New Problem. To add a goal to a care plan problem, click New Goal next to the corresponding problem. To add a task to a goal, click New Task next to the corresponding goal.

What is disturbed personal identity nursing diagnosis? ›

disturbed personal identity a nursing diagnosis accepted by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, defined as the inability to distinguish between the self and nonself.

How do you write a nursing diagnosis? ›

A nursing diagnosis has typically three components: (1) the problem and its definition, (2) the etiology, and (3) the defining characteristics or risk factors (for risk diagnosis). BUILDING BLOCKS OF A DIAGNOSTIC STATEMENT. Components of an NDx may include problem, etiology, risk factors, and defining characteristics.

What is psychosocial nursing diagnosis? ›

Psychosocial diagnoses refer to the psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of nursing care. Interruptions in relationships, grieving, coping, and parenting can complicate physical illnesses, as well as vice versa.

What is the most appropriate nursing intervention for a client who has feelings of anxiety and helplessness in response to the loss of a loved one? ›

The most important intervention that nurses can provide is active listening and offering a supportive presence. Actively listening to the bereaved helps them express their feelings and relate the emotions and feelings related to the loss.

What is a nursing diagnosis for altered mental status? ›

Altered mental status (AMS) may refer to one or a combination of the following: ambiguity, amnesia (impaired memory), loss of attentiveness, mental confusion (not fully aware of self, time, or place), deficiencies in personal judgment or thought, unusual or peculiar behavior, inadequate coping styles, and instabilities ...

Is disturbed thought process a Nanda diagnosis? ›

The nursing diagnosis disturbed thought processes (00130) (DTPs), previously known as “altered thought processes,” was included in the NANDA-I taxonomy since its first edition in 1973 (Gordon & Sweeney, 1979) and later revised in 1996.

What is the nursing intervention for disturbed body image? ›

Patients with disturbed body image may begin to limit their social interactions and seclude themselves from others. This will allow the nurse to individualize the patient's plan of care and ensure proper coping patterns are being utilized to improve the patient's image of self.

What are 10 nursing diagnosis? ›

The following are nursing diagnoses arising from the nursing literature with varying degrees of authentication by ICNP or NANDA-I standards.
  • Anxiety.
  • Constipation.
  • Pain.
  • Activity Intolerance.
  • Impaired Gas Exchange.
  • Excessive Fluid Volume.
  • Caregiver Role Strain.
  • Ineffective Coping.

Which is the best example of a nursing diagnosis? ›

Which is the best example of a nursing diagnosis? Ineffective Breastfeeding related to latching as evidenced by non-sustained suckling at the breast. The formulation of nursing diagnoses is unique to the nursing profession.

Which is an example of an actual nursing diagnosis? ›

Examples of actual nursing diagnoses are the following: Ineffective Breathing Pattern related to pain as evidenced by the use of accessory muscles to breathe, pursed-lip breathing, reports of pain during inhalation, and dyspnea.

What are the five types of nursing diagnosis? ›

  • Problem-focused diagnosis. A patient problem present during a nursing assessment is known as a problem-focused diagnosis. ...
  • Risk nursing diagnosis. ...
  • Health promotion diagnosis. ...
  • Syndrome diagnosis.

How should a nurse respond to a depressed patient? ›

Encourage patient to do as much as possible for self. The patient may need more direction with activities of daily living if depression is severe. Use sleep hygiene to encourage sleep. Engage the patient in a therapeutic relationship.

What is a mental health nursing care plan? ›

Mental health care plans are for people with a mental illness who have several healthcare professionals working with them. A care plan explains the support provided by each of those professionals and when treatment should be provided. Your care plan might also include what to do in a crisis or to prevent relapse.

What are the nursing diagnosis for anxiety? ›

Nursing Diagnosis: Social Isolation related to maturational crisis, fear in panic level, difficulty in interacting with others in the past, and repressed fears secondary to anxiety, as evidenced by the inability to communicate, withdrawal from others, lack of eye contact, insecurity, verbalization of feelings of ...

What are some nursing interventions for anxiety? ›

Anxiety
Nursing InterventionsRationale
Provide reassurance and comfort measures.Helps relieve anxiety.
Educate the patient and/or SO that anxiety disorders are treatable.Pharmacological therapy is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders; treatment regimen may include antidepressants and anxiolytics.
21 more rows
18 Mar 2022

What actions by the nurse might ease a patient's anxiety? ›

Nurses can help reduce patient anxiety through many methods including effective communication, active listening, personal visits, medication, music, and aromatherapy. Each nurse develops ways to recognize signs that patients feel anxious or in distress.

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