Nurse's Pocket Guide

sedentary LIFESTYLE
body and hopeless to turn situation around into a positive
experience.
• Ascertain client’s perception of current activity/exercise patterns,
impact on life, and cultural expectations of client/others.
• Determine client’s actual ability to participate in exercise/
activities, noting attention span, physical limitations/tolerance,
level of interest/desire, and safety needs. Identifies
barriers that need to be addressed.
• Discuss motivation for change. Concerns of SO(s) regarding
threats to personal health/longevity, or acceptance by teen
peers may be sufficient to cause client to initiate change;
however, client must want to change for himself or herself
in order to sustain change.
• Review necessity for/benefits of regular exercise. Research
confirms that exercise has benefits for the whole body
(e.g., can boost energy, enhance coordination, reduce muscle
deterioration, improve circulation, lower blood pressure,
produce healthier skin and a toned body, prolong
youthful appearance. Exercise has also been found to
boost cardiac fitness in both conditioned and out-of-shape
individuals.
• Involve client, SO, parent, or caregiver in developing exercise
plan and goals to meet individual needs, desires, and available
resources.
• Introduce activities at client’s current level of functioning,
progressing to more complex activities, as tolerated.
• Recommend mix of age/gender appropriate activities/stimuli
(e.g., movement classes, walking/hiking, jazzercise, swimming,
biking, skating, bowling, golf, weight training). Activities
need to be personally meaningful for client to derive the
most enjoyment and to sustain motivation to continue with
program.
• Encourage change of scenery (indoors and out, where possible),
and periodic changes in the personal environment when
client is confined inside.
NURSING PRIORITY NO. 3.To promote optimal level of function
and prevent exercise failure:
• Assist with treatment of underlying condition impacting participation
in activities to maximize function within limitations
of situation.
• Collaborate with physical medicine specialist or occupational/physical
therapist in providing active or passive rangeof-motion
exercise, isotonic muscle contractions. Techniques
such as gait training, strength training, and exercise to
Information in brackets added by the authors to clarify and enhance
the use of nursing diagnoses.
442 Cultural Collaborative Community/Home Care