Nursing diagnoses for ALS

Five key nursing diagnoses:

1. Potential for injury related to impaired physical mobility.

2. Impaired urinary elimination related to progressive loss of mobility.

3. Knowledge deficit regarding alternatives for diet, food preparation, and alternative procedures for supplemental feeding.

4. Ineffective airway clearance related to impaired or absent gag reflex, swallowing reflex, or sneeze reflex.

5. Impaired gas exchange related to aspiration secondary to impaired or absent gag, swallowing, and cough reflex.

Nursing Diagnosis	Actual or potential	Related to	Plan and outcome	Nursing intervention
Ineffective airway clearance	Actual	Related to impaired or absent gag, swallowing, or sneeze reflex	Maintain airway patency and adequate ventilation	- Deep breathing and coughing exercises and use of incentive spirometer to encourage lung expansion - Use of aspirator to suction secretions and prevent choking - Chest physiotherapy: percussion, assisted cough and postural drainage when indicated

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