SENSORY PERCEPTION
RNSG 1471
Health Care Concepts 1
Concept – SENSORY PERCEPTION
Concept Definition
Sensory is the ability to receive sensory input and, through various physiologic processes in the body, translate the
stimulus or data into meaningful information.
Exemplars
Cataracts
Eye injuries
Glaucoma
Peripheral Neuropathy (peripheral artery disease)
Conductive Hearing Loss
Macular Degenerative Disease
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (pediatric)
Objectives
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Explain the concept of Sensory (including definition, antecedents, and attributes).
Analyze conditions which place a patient at risk for sensory perception imbalance.
Identify when sensory imbalance (negative consequence) is developing or has developed.
Discuss exemplars of common sensory perception disorders.
Apply the nursing process (including collaborative interventions) for individuals experiencing sensory
imbalance and to promote normal sensory
Concept Analysis Diagram
Note: diagram on separate page.
Explanation of Sensory Perception Diagram
Antecedents found on the Health Promotion diagram address what must be present prior to Sensory
Perception taking place. These could be categorized by external stimuli, intact neural system, intact and
functioning visual gustatory, auditory and integumentary. Each of these can be related to issues of the life cycle.
The nurse must assess these antecedents to determine if they are intact.
If the Antecedents are satisfactorily met, then optimal Sensory Perception can occur. This success is
measured by the attributes found on the Sensory Perception Diagram. The nurse evaluates the patient’s progress
toward optimal sensory perception by evaluating the Attributes listed on the diagram.
The nurse seeks to verify Positive Outcomes by the patient’s distinguishing differing tastes of food, the
ability to interact and understand others, distinguishing between texture of objects including hot and cold, and the
ability to read and commute with visual acuity.
The nurse would evaluate for Negative Outcomes including decreased ability to smell, change in taste
causing lack of appetite, visual impairment, decreased ability to feel causing injury, and hearing impairment which
decreases the quality of life and interferes with psychosocial relationships. When Negative Outcomes occur, the
nurse must re-evaluate the antecedents with the goal of identifying which antecedent was not as strong as need or
not in place. This re-evaluation may indicate that an appropriate nursing intervention must take place to correct
this.
To support success, the nurse utilizes interrelated concepts focusing on the individual patient.
Interrelated concepts that may be utilized include Communication, End of Life, Interpersonal Relationships,
Intracranial Regulation, Mobility, Human development, Nutrition, Comfort, and Safety. These interrelated concepts
may also be the cause of negative outcomes.
Sub-concepts offer guidelines which are components of Sensory Perception. The major sub-concepts are
lack of stimuli, factors affecting perception, role of senses in adapting to environment, and medication effects on
the sensory system.
SENSORY PERCEPTION
Assignments
Prior to class:
1. Review definitions of inter-rated concepts on concept analysis diagram.
2. Review concept analysis diagram.
3. Review anatomy and physiology of the eye, ear, and peripheral nerves.
4. Review assigned reading:
 Berman, A. & Snyder, S. (2012). Kozier & Erb’s Fundamentals of Nursing.
Boston: Pearson.
 Chapter 38: Sensory Perception
 Giddens, J.F. (2013). Concepts for nursing practice. St. Louis. MO: Mosby
Elsevier.
 Chapter 25: Sensory Perception
 Lewis, S.L., Heitkemper, M.M., Dirksen, S.R., O’Brien, P.G., & Bucher, L.
(2011). Medical surgical nursing (8th ed). St. Louis: Mosby Elsevier.
 Chapter 21: Nursing Assessment: Visual Auditory Systems
 Chapter 22: Nursing Management: Visual and Auditory
Problems
 McKinney, E, James, S., Murray, S., Nelson, K., & Ashwill, J. (2013).
Maternal-child nursing (4th ed). St. Louis: Elsevier Saunders.
 Chapter 55: The Child with a Sensory Alteration.
5. Video and Internet resources to review:
 Visual Impairment
http://mcom.alexanderstreet.com.proxy.tvcc.edu:2048/view/1665460
 Understanding How Aging Can Affect Your Family Member
http://mcom.alexanderstreet.com.proxy.tvcc.edu:2048/view/1665629
 Before Help Arrives
http://mcom.alexanderstreet.com.proxy.tvcc.edu:2048/view/1665621
 Central Nervous System, The Senses and Emotions
http://mcom.alexanderstreet.com.proxy.tvcc.edu:2048/view/1941086
 Sensorineural Hearing Loss
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzapIm7b1MQ.
6. Review the following Nursing Diagnoses
 Sensory Perception Disturbance (specify: visual, auditory, kinesthetic,
gustatory, tactile, olfactory)
 Altered role performance (specify: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory,
tactile, olfactory)
 Social Isolation (specify: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory, tactile,
olfactory)
 Body Image disturbance (specify: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory,
tactile, olfactory)
 Impaired Communication (specify: visual, auditory, kinesthetic, gustatory,
tactile, olfactory)
SENSORY PERCEPTION
Concept content outline:
Concept:
Sensory Perception
Sub Concepts: Lack of Stimuli
Factors Affecting Perception
Role of Senses in Adapting to Environment
Antecedents: External Stimuli
Intact Neural system
Intact and Functioning, Visual, Gustatory, Auditory and Integumentary
Risk Factors: Elderly population
Adverse reaction to medication
Complication from medical
Lifestyle choices – smoking
Occupation - loud noise, certain chemicals, and flying debris
Assessment: Comprehensive history
Physical assessment
Physical and psychological clinical manifestations
Diagnostic tests
Positive Outcomes:
Enjoy taste of food
Interact to/with others with understanding
Distinguish between sharp and blunt objects, hot and cold
Ability to read and commute through visual acuity
Negative Outcomes:
Physiological
Psychological
Clinical Management:
Nursing interventions
Collaborative interventions
Pharmacological therapy
Procedural therapies
Diagnostic studies
Exemplars:
Cataracts
Eye injuries
Glaucoma
Peripheral Neuropathy (peripheral artery disease)
Conductive Hearing Loss
Macular Degenerative Disease
Sensorineural Hearing Loss (pediatric)
SENSORY PERCEPTION
CONCEPT ANALYSIS DIAGRAM (TEXAS) – SENSORY PERCEPTION
Nursing Care
 Directed toward what contributes to a normal concept and is thereby related to all factors
involved in or with the concept.
Attributes
 Defining characteristics of the concept
 What must occur for the concept to exist
Antecedents
 What precedes the concept for it to exist
 Events or incidents that must happen before the concept
Consequences
 Untoward events or outcomes that occur due to malfunction within the concept
 Positive events or outcomes that occur due to proper functioning within the concept
Interrelated Concept
 Concepts which can affect change in the other
 Concepts which work together to ensure a normal process
 Concepts which if depleted or impaired can cause a negative consequence in the other
Sub- Concept
 Critical components of major concept
Attributes
Hearing: Normal Hearing Range in
Nursing Care
End of Life
Communication
Adults is from 0 dB Hearing Level to
25 dB Hearing Level,
Vision: Visual acuity 20/20:
Integumentary System: Intact
Gustatory: Sensations that Process
Taste (Sweet, Salt, Sour and
Bitterness)
Olfactory: Odorants are Sensed
Interpersonal Relationships
Intracranial Regulation
Interrelated
Concepts
Mobility
Human Development
Antecedents
Safety
External Stimuli,
Intact Neural System
Intact and Functioning, Visual,
Gustatory, Auditory
and Integumentary
Note: All of the Above Can Be
Related to Issues of the Life
Cycle
Nutrition
Sensory Perception
The ability to receive sensory
input and through various
physiological processes in the
body, translate the stimulus
or data into meaningful
information
Decreased Ability to Smell
(Consume Spoiled Food)
Consequences
(Outcomes)
Change in Taste
(Lack of Appetite)
Negative
Lack of Stimuli
Factors Affecting
Perception
Comfort
Sub Concepts
Visual Impairment
(Accidents)
Enjoy Taste of Food
Positive
Decreased Ability to
Feel (Thermal Injury)
Interact to/with Others
with Understanding
Hearing Impairment
Role of Senses in Adapting
to Environment
Distinguish Between Sharp
and Blunt Objects or Hot
Medication Effects
and Cold by Touch
Ability to Read and Commute
Through Visual acuity
Decreased Quality of
Life/ Psychosocial
Issues