Nr305 Week 4 Assessment of Cardiac Status
Nr305 Week 4 Assessment. This week’s graded discussion topic relates to the following Course Outcomes (COs).
CO1 Utilize prior knowledge of theories and principles of nursing and related disciplines to explain expected client behaviors, while differentiating between normal findings, variations, and abnormalities. (PO 1)
CO3 Utilize effective communication when performing a health assessment. (PO 3)
Esther Jackson is a 56-year-old black female who is 1-day post-op following a left radical mastectomy. During morning rounds, the off-going nurse shares with you during bedside report that the patient has been experiencing increased discomfort in her back throughout the night and has required frequent help with repositioning.
She states that the patient was medicated for pain approximately 2 hours ago but is voicing little relief and states that you might want to mention that to the doctor when he rounds later this morning. With the patient appearing to be in no visible distress, you proceed on to the next patient’s room for report.Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
Approximately 1 hour later, you return to Ms. Jackson’s room with her morning pills and find her slumped over the bedside stand in tears. The patient states, “I don’t know what is wrong, I don’t feel right. My back hurts and I’m just so tired. What is wrong with me?” The patient refuses to take her medications at this time stating that she is starting to feel sick to her stomach.Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
Just then the nursing assistant comes into the patient’s room to record Ms. Jackson’s vital signs, you take this opportunity to quickly research the patient’s medication record to determine if she has a medication ordered for nausea. Upon return, the nursing assistant hands you the following vital signs: T 37, R 18, and BP 132/54, but states she couldn’t get the patient’s pulse because “it is all over the place.”Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
Please address the following questions related to the scenario.
What do you suspect is the cause of the patient’s symptoms?
Describe the course of action that you will take to confirm this suspicion and prevent further decline.
What further assessments, lab values, and tests will likely be ordered for this patient and how often? If testing is to be completed more than once, please explain the rationale for doing so.
While you are caring for this patient, how will you ensure that the needs of your other patients are being met?
Nr305 Week 4 Assessment Answer
The observed symptoms in Esther Jackson strongly suggest a potential myocardial infarction, particularly noteworthy given her recent left radical mastectomy. One day post-operation, Esther reports heightened back discomfort with minimal relief from medication, accompanied by fatigue, nausea, and erratic pulse patterns.
Recognizing gender-specific variations in heart attack symptoms, especially in women, is crucial. Women may manifest “atypical” signs such as cold sweats, lightheadedness, extreme fatigue, and flu-like sensations, with discomfort extending to areas like arms, back, neck, jaw, and upper abdomen (Jarvis, 2016).Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
Research by Malecki-Ketchell (2017) underscores that women often present with “atypical non-specific symptoms” in acute coronary syndrome, including back pain, dyspnea, fatigue, and indigestion. Jaw and neck pain, along with a sense of chest “fullness,” are common, distinct from male presentations. Given these indicators, swift and accurate assessment becomes paramount for a conclusive diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome.Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
To confirm this suspicion and forestall further decline, the initial course of action would involve a comprehensive cardiovascular assessment, clinical examination, and the immediate implementation of a 12-lead ECG. Simultaneously, measuring troponin levels is imperative to ascertain cardiac involvement (Malecki-Ketchell, 2017). As Esther’s nurse, my immediate priority would be to initiate these diagnostic measures, enabling timely intervention and potential life-saving measures to address the suspected myocardial infarction.Nr305 Week 4 Assessment
