Which of the following are appropriate nursing diagnoses for an 80-year-old woman following a bilateral mastectomy for stage IV breast cancer?

Explanation

• All of these are appropriate nursing diagnoses for a woman after a mastectomy. The surgical incisions result in impaired skin integrity. These wounds then place the patient at risk for infection.

• Women of all ages experience disturbed body image after surgical removal of their breasts. This puts the patient at risk for situational low self-esteem. The nurse should also assess the patient's support system and coping strategies to ensure that the patient receives any necessary psychological support after surgery.

• There is no indication that this patient is currently at risk for imbalanced nutrition (less than body requirements), though this is is not unusual in patients who become severely depressed.

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