Borderline personality disorder: nursing approach from a psychiatric day hospital

Abstract

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) affects 1-2% of the population, presents with high comorbidity and emotional instability and has a completed suicide risk of 8-10%, so it requires a multidisciplinary approach. We present the case of a 34-year-old woman with BPD, a history of an eating disorder and depressive episodes, admitted to a psychiatric day hospital for emotional instability with serious family, personal and occupational repercussions. The nursing assessment was carried out according to Marjory Gordon’s functional health patterns and a care plan was developed with the NANDA, NOC and NIC taxonomies (deficient knowledge, situational low self-esteem, interrupted family processes and ineffective coping), developed over four months through group psychoeducational activities. At discharge, the patient applied appropriate conflict-resolution strategies and had improved the quality of her family relationships and her level of confidence, underlining the need for continuity of care from the mental health centre.