Wandering

Wandering

Meandering; aimless or repetitive locomotion that exposes the individual to harm; frequently incongruent with boundaries, limits, or obstacles

Defining Characteristics:

• Frequent or continuous movement from place to place, often revisiting the same destinations; 
• persistent locomotion in search of "missing" or unattainable people or places; 
• haphazard locomotion; 
• locomotion in unauthorized or private spaces; 
• locomotion resulting in unintended leaving of a premise; 
• long periods of locomotion without an apparent destination; 
• fretful locomotion or pacing;
• inability to locate significant landmarks in a familiar setting; 
• locomotion that cannot be easily dissuaded or redirected; 
• following behind or shadowing a caregiver's locomotion; 
• trespassing; 
• hyperactivity; 
• scanning, seeking, or searching behaviors; 
• periods of locomotion interspersed with periods of nonlocomotion (e.g., sitting, standing, sleeping); 
• getting lost

Related Factors:

• Cognitive impairment, specifically memory and recall deficits, disorientation, poor visuoconstructive (or visuospatial) ability, and language (primarily expressive) defects; 
• cortical atrophy; 
• premorbid behavior (e.g., outgoing, sociable personality); 
• premorbid dementia; 
• separation from familiar people and places; 
• sedation; 
• emotional state, especially frustration, anxiety, boredom, or depression (agitation); 
• overstimulating/understimulating social or physical environment; 
• physiological state or need (e.g., hunger/thirst, pain, urination, constipation); 
• time of day

NOC Outcomes (Nursing Outcomes Classification)

Suggested NOC Labels

• Safety Status: Falls Occurrence
• Safety Behavior: Fall Prevention
• Caregiver Home Care Readiness

Client Outcomes

• Decreased incidence of falls (preferably free of falls)
• Decreased incidence of elopements
• Appropriate body weight maintained
• Caregiver able to explain interventions can use to provide a safe environment for care receiver who displays wandering behavior

NIC Interventions (Nursing Interventions Classification)

Suggested NIC Labels

• Dementia Management

Wandering

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