Nursing Education Site
Gastrointestinal Nursing Diagnoses & Care Plans
Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders such as gastroenteritis, peptic ulcer disease, and GI bleeding are common in NCLEX questions and med‑surg rotations because they affect fluid balance, nutrition, and patient safety.
This page gathers our gastrointestinal nursing diagnoses and care plans so you can quickly find focused assessments, priority interventions, and rationales for the most frequently encountered GI conditions.
Start with the list of individual GI care plans below (upper and lower GI, inflammatory, infectious, and bleeding conditions).
Open each care plan to review: brief disorder overview, causes, signs and symptoms, GI-focused assessment, nursing interventions with rationales, and expected outcomes.
Use these care plans as a study guide for NCLEX and a quick reference when caring for patients with GI problems in clinical or practice.
You can keep everything in one list or break it into Infection/Inflammation, Obstruction/Motility, Bleeding, and Other GI Conditions.
Gastroenteritis – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Peptic Ulcer Disease – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Gastritis – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Crohn’s, Ulcerative Colitis) – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plans
Appendicitis – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Dysfunctional Gastrointestinal Motility – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Constipation – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Diarrhea – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Small Bowel Obstruction – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Bowel Incontinence (Fecal Incontinence) – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Gastrointestinal Bleed – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan (+ video review)
Upper vs Lower GI Bleed – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plans
Esophageal Varices – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Hemorrhoids / Lower GI Bleeding – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Nausea and Vomiting – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Abdominal Pain – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Malnutrition / Imbalanced Nutrition: Less Than Body Requirements (GI) – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Risk for Deficient Fluid Volume related to GI Losses – Nursing Diagnosis & Care Plan
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes continuous inflammation and ulcers in the inner lining of the colon, starting at the rectum. It comes and goes in flares, with bloody diarrhea, urgency, and cramping abdominal pain. The nursing diagnoses used most often are Diarrhea, Acute Pain, Risk for Deficient Fluid Volume, … See Nursing Diagnoses
Abdominal pain is one of the most common chief complaints bringing patients to emergency departments and primary care clinics. As nurses, our assessment skills and clinical judgment directly impact patient outcomes when dealing with this complex symptom. Whether you’re preparing for the NCLEX or caring for patients at the bedside, understanding abdominal pain nursing diagnoses … See Nursing Diagnoses
Gastrointestinal bleeding represents one of the most urgent conditions nurses encounter in acute care settings. Whether managing a patient with coffee-ground emesis in the emergency department or monitoring occult bleeding on a medical-surgical unit, nurses must quickly recognize signs of hemorrhage, implement evidence-based interventions, and prevent life-threatening complications like hypovolemic shock. This guide provides nursing … See Nursing Diagnoses
Bowel obstruction is a serious condition in which the normal passage of intestinal contents is blocked, either partially or completely. It can occur in the small or large intestine and may be mechanical (a physical blockage) or functional (a motility problem). For nurses, recognizing bowel obstruction early is critical because it can quickly progress to … See Nursing Diagnoses
Constipation is a common gastrointestinal issue that affects patients across various healthcare settings. It is characterized by infrequent bowel movements, difficulty passing stool, or the sensation of incomplete evacuation. As a nursing diagnosis, constipation requires a holistic and individualized care plan to promote bowel health, prevent complications, and improve patient comfort. Nursing Diagnosis: Constipation DefinitionAccording … See Nursing Diagnoses