R13 · Parenting difficulty
Actual Communication and relationships
Definition
A parent struggles to meet a child's physical, emotional, or safety needs.- Young parent
- poor knowledge
- stress
- poverty
- lack of support
- Neglect
- harsh discipline
- missed visits
- unsafe home
📋 Scenario
A teenage mother is unsure how to feed her infant.
Subjective (S): "I don't know how to feed my baby."
Objective (O): Teen mother; unsure about feeds; infant crying; limited support.
Assessment tools for this scenario: CP-TALK Communication Check
Validated scales to consider: Communication barrier checklist
**CarePath diagnosis:** Parenting difficulty related to young age and limited support, as evidenced by uncertainty about feeding and an infant who is crying.
**Interventions and rationale**
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| Teach skills. | Showing how to feed and care for her baby gives her the knowledge and confidence she lacks, which supports the baby's growth and safety. |
| Praise efforts. | Praise for what she does well builds confidence and encourages her to keep learning and trying. |
| Arrange support. | Support from family, friends or services eases the load on a young parent with limited help and lowers stress. |
| Make home visits. | Home visits let the nurse see real conditions, give teaching in context, and spot problems that would be missed in hospital. |
| Link to community resources. | Community resources such as parenting classes and clinics provide continued help after the nurse is no longer involved. |
| Watch for safety. | Watching for safety makes sure the infant is fed, kept safe, and not harmed while the mother is still learning. |
**Expected outcomes**
- Within 1 week: feeds baby correctly, states hunger cues, links to community support.
- Baby thriving.
**Linking the data to the diagnosis**
The teen mother says, "I don't know how to feed my baby." She is unsure about feeds, the infant is crying, and she has limited support. These data show a young parent who cannot yet meet her baby's needs, so this actual diagnosis fits better than a risk statement or a weak bond diagnosis, because the main problem is skill and knowledge. The plan aims for her, within 1 week, to feed the baby correctly, state hunger cues, link to community support, and see the baby thriving.
CarePath diagnosis
Parenting difficulty related to young age and limited support, as evidenced by uncertainty about feeding and an infant who is crying.
Interventions and rationale
Listed in priority order.
| Intervention | Rationale |
|---|---|
| 1. Teach skills. | Showing how to feed and care for her baby gives her the knowledge and confidence she lacks, which supports the baby's growth and safety. |
| 2. Praise efforts. | Praise for what she does well builds confidence and encourages her to keep learning and trying. |
| 3. Arrange support. | Support from family, friends or services eases the load on a young parent with limited help and lowers stress. |
| 4. Make home visits. | Home visits let the nurse see real conditions, give teaching in context, and spot problems that would be missed in hospital. |
| 5. Link to community resources. | Community resources such as parenting classes and clinics provide continued help after the nurse is no longer involved. |
| 6. Watch for safety. | Watching for safety makes sure the infant is fed, kept safe, and not harmed while the mother is still learning. |
Expected outcomes
- Within 1 week: feeds baby correctly, states hunger cues, links to community support.
- Baby thriving.
Linking the data to the diagnosis
The teen mother says, "I don't know how to feed my baby." She is unsure about feeds, the infant is crying, and she has limited support. These data show a young parent who cannot yet meet her baby's needs, so this actual diagnosis fits better than a risk statement or a weak bond diagnosis, because the main problem is skill and knowledge. The plan aims for her, within 1 week, to feed the baby correctly, state hunger cues, link to community support, and see the baby thriving.