H.S.’s nursing diagnosis is nutrition, altered: less than body requirements related to
increased caloric requirements and difficulty in ingesting sufficient calories secondary to cancer
(Carpenito, 2000). According to Martin (2007), malnutrition is one of the greatest concerns for a
patient with ovarian cancer. Fitch (2006) also noted that fatigue and anorexia are not uncommon
side effects of both chemotherapy and surgery. Patient’s appearance was frail, with dry skin, and
she was underweight for her height. Her height and weight were obtained and compared to the
BMI. Patient’s height was 5’7” (1.70m) and her weight was 105lbs (47.7kg). Her BMI was 16.50
and needs to be at least 19 (Christensen & Kockrow, 1999).