Eating Disorders

Eating disorders are serious mental-health conditions that can become medical emergencies. Restriction, binge eating, purging, misuse of laxatives or diuretics, excessive exercise, and insulin omission can impair cardiovascular, metabolic, neurologic, renal, gastrointestinal, and musculoskeletal function. A person may be medically unstable at a normal or higher body weight, especially after rapid weight loss. The RN begins with immediate safety: assess airway, breathing, circulation, mental status, recent intake and losses, vital signs, weight trajectory, symptoms, and available ECG and laboratory results. Medical stabilization takes priority when physiology is unstable. Diagnostic clarification, nutrition rehabilitation, psychotherapy, and family or caregiver support then proceed through an interprofessional plan at the safest appropriate level of care.