clinical presentation
The case study requires the followin" rel="nofollow">ing:
• discuss the pathophysiology related to the clin" rel="nofollow">inical presentation
• relate the patient’s clin" rel="nofollow">inical assessment fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings to physiological alterations
• in" rel="nofollow">interpret selected clin" rel="nofollow">inical in" rel="nofollow">investigations (i.e. ECG, laboratory results)
• explore appropriate management options determin" rel="nofollow">ined by evidence based literature
CASE STUDY - James
James Newton is a 62-year-old admitted to the orthopaedic ward 2/7 ago after fallin" rel="nofollow">ing 8 steps from a ladder, whilst cleanin" rel="nofollow">ing gutters at home. He sustain" rel="nofollow">ined 6 right sided rib fractures, a large chest
wall abrasion and some underlyin" rel="nofollow">ing pulmonary contusion. James also sustain" rel="nofollow">ined an in" rel="nofollow">inferior/superior pubic rami fracture on right. He is currently on patient controlled analgesia (PCA) for pain" rel="nofollow">in
management.
James’ medical history in" rel="nofollow">includes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension, ischaemic heart disease - coronary artery bypass graft x3 2011, GORD, Type 2 DM, current smoker.
Medications in" rel="nofollow">include: Clopidogrel 75mg daily, Pantoprazole 40mg daily, Simvastatin" rel="nofollow">in 80mg daily, Spiriva 18mcg daily, Salbutamol PRN.
Durin" rel="nofollow">ing the night he experienced in" rel="nofollow">intermittent chest pain" rel="nofollow">in, difficulty breathin" rel="nofollow">ing, and complain" rel="nofollow">ined about a persistent cough. James also developed a temperature of 38.3ºC. An ECG showed sin" rel="nofollow">inus
tachycardia. Investigations in" rel="nofollow">included a sputum sample and a chest x-ray which identified worsenin" rel="nofollow">ing consolidation in" rel="nofollow">in the right middle/lower lobes.
You are the ward nurse carin" rel="nofollow">ing for James, you perform your clin" rel="nofollow">inical assessment on your mornin" rel="nofollow">ing round.
On examin" rel="nofollow">ination James is pale and peripherally cool, and his clin" rel="nofollow">inical assessment revealed:
HR 118 beats per min" rel="nofollow">inute
RR 24 breaths per min" rel="nofollow">inute
BP 170/85 mmHg
GCS 15/15, PEARL 3+
Temp 38.3 ºC
SpO2 90% on 2L of oxygen via nasal prongs
Question 1 (5%)
What further nursin" rel="nofollow">ing assessment is required? Provide a rationale for each.
(300 words)
Question 2 (25%)
Discuss James’ clin" rel="nofollow">inical assessment fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ings based on the underlyin" rel="nofollow">ing physiological response (in" rel="nofollow">in details).
(700 words)
While talkin" rel="nofollow">ing to James, his clin" rel="nofollow">inical condition deteriorates. He has severe right sided chest and back pan and is fin" rel="nofollow">indin" rel="nofollow">ing it in" rel="nofollow">increasin" rel="nofollow">ingly difficult to breathe. His respiratory rate is 30 breaths per
min" rel="nofollow">inute and shallow. James is only able to speak in" rel="nofollow">in short sentences. His SpO2 is 87%. Arterial blood gases and routin" rel="nofollow">ine bloods were taken. The results are now available and are as follows:
Result Reference
K 4.8 mmol/L (3.5-5.0)
Na 140 mmol /L (135-145)
Creat 148 µmol/L (80-120)
Glucose 10 mmol/L (4-8)
WCC 15.3x 109gL (8-12)
Hb 10.5 g/L (13.0-17.0)
INR 1.2 (0.9-1.2)
APTT 37 sec (25-37)
ABG
pH 7.30 (7.35-7.45)
pCO2 58 mmHg (35-45)
pO2 55 mmHg (80-100)
HCO3 20 mmol (22-26)
BE -3 (-2 to 2)
SaO2 88% (95-100)
Question 3 (20%)
Interpret the above blood results and provide a physiological rationale for any abnormality (in" rel="nofollow">in details).
(600 words)
James is put on supplemental oxygen (Fraction of Inspired Oxygen FiO2 0.40) and his SpO2 improves to 93%. Despite these improvements in" rel="nofollow">in arterial oxygenation, he has become agitated.
Question 4 (20%)
Based on the change in" rel="nofollow">in James’ clin" rel="nofollow">inical presentation, discuss how alterations to normal physiology will in" rel="nofollow">influence tissue oxygen delivery and how this will impact on end-organ function (in" rel="nofollow">in details).
(600 marks)
Question 5 (5%)
As the registered nurse lookin" rel="nofollow">ing after this patient, describe how you would escalate management of the
patient
(200 words)
Question 6
Focusin" rel="nofollow">ing on priorities of care, provide a rationale for ongoin" rel="nofollow">ing medical management and subsequent nursin" rel="nofollow">ing care of this patient.
(700 words)