Nursing Care Plan for Breast Cancer
Also searched as: mastectomy care, breast carcinoma
🎓 Educational example. Adapt to your patient and have your instructor review it. Not medical advice.
Malignancy of breast tissue treated with some combination of surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. This plan is written generically rather than per subtype: nursing care supports recovery after surgery, protects the arm on the operated side from lymphedema, and tends to the body-image and coping work that the diagnosis brings with it.
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Assessment
- Subjective: patient reports pain or tightness at the surgical site, sensations in the affected arm, feelings about the change in their body, and worries about treatment and recurrence
- Objective: surgical site and drain output if present, arm circumference and mobility on the operated side, signs of infection, treatment plan and current cycle, support system available
Nursing diagnoses
Risk factors: axillary node dissection or radiation in the treatment record, early sensations of heaviness or tightness, prior infections in the arm
As evidenced by: patient avoids looking at the surgical site, voices grief about the change, withdraws from partner or social contact, delays choices about prostheses or reconstruction
Goals / expected outcomes
- The affected arm will remain free of swelling, tightness and infection through treatment and follow-up.
- The patient will look at and care for the surgical site and voice a plan for living with the change, on their own timeline, before care ends.
Nursing interventions & rationale
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Protect the affected arm: no blood pressures, venipuncture or injections on that side, and post the precaution where every caregiver sees it. | The remaining lymph channels are fragile; small breaches and constrictions are the classic triggers of a lifelong swelling problem. |
| Teach early arm exercises and positioning per the surgeon's protocol, and how to care for drains if present. | Gentle, staged movement restores shoulder range and lymph flow without stressing the healing site. |
| Teach the signs of lymphedema (tightness of rings or sleeves, heaviness, visible swelling) and of site infection, with instructions to report them early. | Lymphedema caught at the sensation stage responds to therapy far better than established swelling. |
| Make space for body-image work: look at the site together when the patient is ready, present prosthesis and reconstruction options neutrally, and offer peer support contacts. | Adjustment cannot be scheduled, but silence reads as taboo; an open door and real options let the patient do the work at their own pace. |
Evaluation
- Affected arm stays free of swelling and infection with precautions understood
- Surgical site heals without complications
- Patient engages with the site and voices next steps that fit their own values
Sources & further reading
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Build a care plan free Preview Pro (coming soon)Breast Cancer care plan: FAQ
What is the nursing diagnosis for Breast Cancer?
Common nursing diagnoses include: Risk for lymphedema of the arm on the operated side related to axillary lymph node removal or radiation; Disturbed body image related to surgical change of the breast and treatment effects. Choose the one your patient's assessment data supports.
What are nursing interventions for Breast Cancer?
Key interventions: Protect the affected arm: no blood pressures, venipuncture or injections on that side, and post the precaution where every caregiver sees it.; Teach early arm exercises and positioning per the surgeon's protocol, and how to care for drains if present.; Teach the signs of lymphedema (tightness of rings or sleeves, heaviness, visible swelling) and of site infection, with instructions to report them early., each paired with a rationale.
Can I use this care plan for my assignment?
Use it as a study example and starting draft. Always adapt it to your specific patient and have it reviewed by your instructor. This is an educational tool, not medical advice.
For nursing education only, NOT medical advice and not a clinical decision-making tool. Nothing here should be used to assess, diagnose, or treat any real patient. Care plans and answers are unverified study drafts to review with your instructor or a licensed clinician and adapt to the individual patient and your institution’s protocols before any use.
Last reviewed 2026-07. Educational content based on standard nursing practice; not medical advice and not affiliated with NANDA-I/NIC/NOC. Always follow your institution's protocols and your instructor's guidance.