Diverticulitis Nursing Care Plan: 2 Sample Plans and Interventions

Diverticulitis happens when small pouches in the colon wall become inflamed or infected. Clients often have left lower abdominal pain, fever, and changes in bowel habits. Your priorities are pain control, resting the bowel, treating infection, and watching for perforation.

A · AssessmentD · DiagnosisP · PlanningI · InterventionE · Evaluation

Each care plan below follows the nursing process (ADPIE).

CARE PLAN 1 · NURSING DIAGNOSIS

Acute Pain

Related to

Inflammation and infection of the colon pouches

As evidenced by

Left lower quadrant abdominal pain
Guarding and tenderness
Client rates pain 7 out of 10
Grimacing

PLANNING · EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Short-term goals

Client rates pain at 3 out of 10 or less within 1 hour of treatment

Long-term goals

Client manages discomfort and returns to normal activity

ASSESSMENT

Pain location, intensity, and quality
Abdominal tenderness, rigidity, and bowel sounds
Response to pain medicine

INTERVENTIONS AND RATIONALES

INTERVENTION	RATIONALE
Give pain medicine as ordered and reassess	Controlling pain improves rest and healing.
Keep the client NPO or on clear liquids as ordered	Resting the bowel lowers inflammation.
Report sudden severe pain or a hard, rigid abdomen right away	These can be signs of perforation and peritonitis.
Avoid enemas and laxatives during the acute phase	They raise pressure in the colon and could cause rupture.

EVALUATION

Client rates pain at 3 or lower
Abdomen is soft without rigidity

CARE PLAN 2 · NURSING DIAGNOSIS

Risk for Infection

Risk factors

Inflamed diverticula
Possible perforation or abscess

PLANNING · EXPECTED OUTCOMES

Short-term goals

Temperature stays below 38.3 °C (101 °F) within 48 hours of antibiotics

Long-term goals

White blood cell count returns to normal
Client finishes the full antibiotic course

ASSESSMENT

Temperature and heart rate every 4 hours
White blood cell count
Signs of peritonitis such as rigid abdomen and rebound tenderness

INTERVENTIONS AND RATIONALES

INTERVENTION	RATIONALE
Give antibiotics on time as ordered	On-time doses keep drug levels high enough to fight infection.
Advance diet slowly as ordered, from clear liquids to low fiber, then high fiber after recovery	Slow advancement lets the colon heal, and fiber later helps prevent future flares.
Teach the client to finish all antibiotics	Stopping early can lead to the infection coming back.
Teach high-fiber foods and fluids once healed	Fiber softens stool and lowers pressure in the colon.

EVALUATION

Client is afebrile
WBC is trending to normal
Client states the plan for diet and antibiotics

Practice this in This vs That

Tell diverticulitis apart from appendicitis and other belly pain look-alikes.

Play This vs That

Quick answers

Where is diverticulitis pain usually felt?

In the left lower quadrant, because most diverticula form in the sigmoid colon.

What diet is taught after a diverticulitis flare heals?

A high-fiber diet with plenty of fluids. During an acute flare, the bowel rests with clear liquids or low fiber first.

For learning only. Individualize every care plan to your client, and follow your program, current guidelines, provider orders, and facility policy.