Nursing interventions play a critical role in healthcare, often serving as the backbone of effective patient care while optimizing patient health and comfort. Of course, nursing interventions can also be complex, especially when you consider the collaborative nature of care plans and the vital role that nurses play in their implementation.
Understanding the importance of nursing interventions helps bridge the gap between assessment and patient outcomes. This knowledge prepares both current and aspiring nurses for this critical job component.
What Are Nursing Interventions? Actions That Drive Healing
When answering the question, “What are nursing interventions?” this typically refers to purposeful actions designed to address specific patient needs and achieve desired patient outcomes. It is important to look at nursing interventions not just as “tasks,” but as important components of a comprehensive patient care plan that must be decided upon carefully. In addition to centering around patient health and well-being, nursing interventions should also help maintain a safe and clean environment for other members of a healthcare facility, including staff.
Types of Nursing Interventions
There are three main types of nursing interventions, with each type being initiated by different healthcare professionals. These include:
- Independent – These are actions that nurses initiate on their own without direct physician orders. Some examples of independent interventions include providing patients with basic education and repositioning patients for comfort as needed.
- Dependent – These are actions initiated based on physician orders, where nurses typically follow the directive but can question and recommend alternatives if they believe better options exist for the patient. Examples of dependent interventions include administering medication or inserting a catheter.
- Collaborative – This refers to actions that require coordination and input from other healthcare team members, which can include nurses, doctors/physicians, and specialists. For example, a doctor might consult with nursing teams, physical therapy physicians, and even dietary specialists to ensure that interventions align with the patient’s specific needs.
The Importance of Understanding Nursing Classifications
In addition to understanding the different types of nursing interventions, nurses must also have an in-depth knowledge and awareness of nursing classification systems. Specifically, the most widely used taxonomy for organizing and categorizing nursing interventions is known as the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) system.
Under the NIC system, interventions are organized into a four-level hierarchy. This system is critical for standardizing terminology, enhancing communication among healthcare professionals, and facilitating research and evidence-based practice among healthcare providers.
The Purpose of Nursing Interventions: Turning Plans Into Progress
Ultimately, the primary purpose of nursing interventions is to effectively carry out care plans while achieving the best possible outcome for the patient. There are numerous ways in which the right interventions and care plans can improve patient outcomes by addressing specific needs. This then helps reduce the risk of complications, promoting health and wellness, and restoring a sense of function and independence.
Addressing Patient Needs
At a very basic level, nurse interventions directly address the complex physical, emotional, and psychological needs of the patient. For instance, if a patient is feeling restless and uncomfortable, a nurse may take independent action to reposition the patient for greater comfort.
Meanwhile, nurses may provide compassionate care and basic education to patients as a means of mitigating emotional stress and empowering them regarding their own care. In this sense, nursing interventions can directly contribute to the overall well-being of patients.
Preventing Complications
When used properly, nursing interventions may also proactively prevent complications. A nurse taking care to reposition a bed-ridden patient on a regular basis, for example, may help prevent pressure ulcers. In the interim, regular changing and cleaning of wounds may reduce the risk of infections. Other interventions, such as using a fall risk assessment tool and providing proper patient education, can reduce the risk of a fall and lead to improved patient outcomes.
Promoting Health and Wellness
In many ways, nursing interventions can also be used to promote a greater sense of health and wellness within patient populations. Nurses have a great deal of information at their disposal, and they also tend to spend the most direct time interacting with patients. Nurses can use this to their advantage by using independent interventions to inform, educate, and empower patients to take charge of their own health. This can foster self-care and healthy behaviors that can lead to improved health and wellness down the road.
Restoring Function and Independence
Patients who have lost their sense of independence can suffer from a declining quality of life, which can have a negative impact on physical and psychological health. Fortunately, the right nursing interventions can help patients regain lost function and independence, resulting in an improved quality of life and better outlook overall.
For example, nurses can help patients with pain by administering medication that has been approved by a physician. In the meantime, nurses can demonstrate mobility exercises to patients to help improve their range of motion and facilitate recovery following an injury. These seemingly small interventions, when part of a coordinated care plan, can make all the difference in patient outcomes.
Nursing Intervention Examples: A Diverse Toolkit for Care
To better understand nursing interventions and how they can align with care plans, it can be helpful to consider some specific nursing interventions examples. Below, you’ll find examples of nursing interventions for a wide range of issues, ranging from acute pain and COPD to pneumonia, anxiety, and even fall risk.
Nursing Interventions for Acute Pain
Patients suffering from acute pain may be in a great deal of distress, especially if pain is severe. Ultimately, the goal of a patient care plan for acute pain should be to pinpoint and treat the root cause of the pain. However, there are interventions nurses may follow to relieve acute pain for patients in distress. Some examples may include:
- Administering pain medications.
- Applying hot or cold packs.
- Guiding meditation or other relaxation techniques.
- Distracting with music or other stimuli.
- Acupuncture or acupressure techniques.
Nursing Interventions for COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a serious condition caused by damage to the airways. Patients with this condition may have a hard time breathing due to blocked airflow, which can have a serious impact on the patient’s quality of life.
Nursing interventions for patients with COPD will vary depending on the severity of the condition and other factors. Typically, interventions for this condition are collaborative in nature, relying on expertise from many healthcare professionals and specialists. Examples of potential interventions for COPD patients may include:
- Assessment of symptoms and lung function, such as listening to the lungs and measuring oxygen saturation.
- Administering oxygen therapy.
- Use of specialized breathing devices.
- Patient education, such as learning how to use an inhaler.
- Pulmonary rehabilitation.
Nursing Interventions for Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a serious infection of the lungs characterized by inflammation of the alveoli (air sacs) and tissue surrounding the lungs. This infection can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or even fungi, and the complications can be life-threatening. With this in mind, nurses and healthcare professionals must be prepared to react promptly to patients presenting with pneumonia, using interventions such as:
- Carefully monitoring oxygen levels and other vital signs.
- Administering antibiotics or other medication to address the infection.
- Ensuring that patients receive plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration and worsening of symptoms.
- Administering oxygen as needed.
- Performing other respiratory care techniques, such as chest percussion and incentive spirometry.
Nursing Interventions for Anxiety
Patients presenting with signs of anxiety or an anxiety attack must also be cared for promptly and compassionately. Interventions for anxiety should be highly specific to the patient’s unique needs and symptoms, but some common examples include:
- Patient education in the form of explaining coping strategies, such as deep breathing and meditation).
- Creating a calm environment with minimal noise or distractions.
- Administering of anti-anxiety medications as prescribed by a physician.
- Referral to mental health counseling, support groups, or other resources.
Nursing Interventions for Fall Risk
Some patients, such as the elderly, may be at a greater risk of falls that could result in injuries or additional complications. With this in mind, nurses are often tasked with conducting fall risk assessments of patients and following common interventions as needed, such as:
- Keeping hospital beds at the lowest possible position.
- Ensuring that call lights and patients’ personal items are within easy reach.
- Ensuring that the area around a patient’s bed is free from obstructions or tripping hazards.
- Educating patients on safe movement.
The Role of Nursing Interventions in Patient Care Plans
Overall, nursing interventions are an essential component of the overarching nursing process that includes assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation. In many ways, interventions serve as the “action” phase of the nursing process, where a care plan is put into practice and desired results can be achieved. Without practical nursing interventions, it would be impossible in most cases to achieve patient objectives while providing the highest standard of care.
When nurses and other healthcare professionals have a solid understanding of which interventions should be used in different scenarios, it is possible to carry out care plans effectively and with the best interests of the patient in mind.
Advance Your Nursing Education at Nevada State University
As you can see, nursing interventions often play a critical role in the implementation of patient care plans. That said, determining the right interventions for each patient is a complicated process full of nuances and must be done with the patient’s best interests in mind. At the end of the day, when nurses and other healthcare professionals collaborate with the best patient outcomes in mind, it is possible to address patient needs while minimizing complications and promoting wellness.
Looking to advance your own nursing education and better serve your patients? It may be time to explore Nevada State University’s RN to BSN online program, which is available in both a part-time and full-time track to suit your needs and schedule. This program is specifically designed for busy nursing professionals who want to pursue their bachelor’s degrees in nursing while working at their own pace, so get in touch to learn more or start your online application today!