Nursing Care Plan for Pulmonary Embolism
Also searched as: PE, blood clot in the lung
🎓 Educational example. Adapt to your patient and have your instructor review it. Not medical advice.
A sudden blockage of a pulmonary artery, usually by a clot from the legs, that impairs gas exchange and can be life-threatening. Nursing care is urgent: support oxygenation, monitor for deterioration, and manage anticoagulation.
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Assessment
- Subjective: sudden shortness of breath, chest pain worse on breathing, anxiety
- Objective: tachypnea, tachycardia, low oxygen saturation, possible low blood pressure
Nursing diagnoses
As evidenced by: low oxygen saturation, dyspnea, tachypnea
As evidenced by: tachycardia, hypotension, anxiety
Goals / expected outcomes
- The patient will maintain oxygen saturation within the ordered target during care.
- The patient will remain free of worsening respiratory or hemodynamic compromise.
Nursing interventions & rationale
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Monitor respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and work of breathing continuously. | Early detection of hypoxia guides oxygen and escalation. |
| Administer oxygen and position for easiest breathing; keep the patient calm. | Supports oxygenation and reduces the demand that anxiety adds. |
| Give anticoagulant/thrombolytic therapy as prescribed and monitor for bleeding. | Prevents clot extension while balancing bleeding risk. |
| Watch for hypotension, rising heart rate, or decreasing consciousness and report immediately. | These signal right-heart failure and require rapid intervention. |
Evaluation
- Oxygen saturation meets target
- Respiratory rate and effort improve
- No signs of bleeding or hemodynamic collapse
Stop rewriting care plans by hand
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Build a care plan free Preview Pro (coming soon)Pulmonary Embolism care plan: FAQ
What is the nursing diagnosis for Pulmonary Embolism?
Common nursing diagnoses include: Impaired gas exchange related to obstructed pulmonary blood flow; Reduced cardiac output related to increased right-heart strain. Choose the one your patient's assessment data supports.
What are nursing interventions for Pulmonary Embolism?
Key interventions: Monitor respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and work of breathing continuously.; Administer oxygen and position for easiest breathing; keep the patient calm.; Give anticoagulant/thrombolytic therapy as prescribed and monitor for bleeding. — 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.