Nurse's Pocket Guide

isk for CAREGIVER ROLE STRAIN
risk for Caregiver Role Strain
Taxonomy II: Role Relationships—Class 1 Caregiving
Roles (00062)
[Diagnostic Division: Social Interaction]
Submitted 1992
Definition: Caregiver is vulnerable for felt difficulty in
performing the family caregiver role
Risk Factors
Illness severity of the care receiver; psychological or cognitive
problems in care receiver; addiction or codependency
Discharge of family member with significant home-care needs;
premature birth/congenital defect
Unpredictable illness course or instability in the care receiver’s
health
Duration of caregiving required; inexperience with caregiving;
complexity/amount of caregiving tasks; caregiver’s competing
role commitments
Caregiver health impairment
Caregiver is female/spouse
Caregiver not developmentally ready for caregiver role [e.g., a young
adult needing to provide care for middle-aged parent]; developmental
delay or retardation of the care receiver or caregiver
Presence of situational stressors that normally affect families (e.g.,
significant loss, disaster or crisis, economic vulnerability,
major life events [e.g., birth, hospitalization, leaving home,
returning home, marriage, divorce, change in employment,
retirement, death])
Inadequate physical environment for providing care (e.g.,
housing, transportation, community services, equipment)
Family/caregiver isolation
Lack of respite/recreation for caregiver
Marginal family adaptation or dysfunction prior to the caregiving
situation
Marginal caregiver coping patterns
Past history of poor relationship between caregiver and care
receiver
Care receiver exhibits deviant, bizarre behavior
Presence of abuse or violence
NOTE: A risk diagnosis is not evidenced by signs and symptoms, as
the problem has not occurred and nursing interventions are
directed at prevention.
Information in brackets added by the authors to clarify and enhance
the use of nursing diagnoses.
158 Cultural Collaborative Community/Home Care