...This Assignment will focus on demonstrating patient care and to apply my knowledge into the theories and the decision making in caring for an acutely ill patient reflecting on my experience whilst practicing within my role as a health care assistant. I will use a reflective tool to assist in the reflective cycle using Gibbs (1988) ref – university of cumbria www.cumbria .ac.uk/public /liss/document/skills sat cumbria/reflective cycle) I will ensure that I comply with the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC) in order to achieve this I will write in first person and all names and locations will be changed to protect identity. Ref (NMC 2015). Description My normal day started at 7.30 I was allocated to work in a bay alongside my colleague within my clinical area. An accurate handover of the clinical information was given in relevance to the patient’s continuity and safety of care. (Adams 2012). (Ref- Adams JM, Osbourne-Mckenzie T Advancing the evidence base for a standardized provider handover structure: using staff nurse description of information to deliver competent care. Journal of continuing Education in nursing 2012;43(6):261-6.) My case study is on a 59-year old lady( Appendix 1)who recently had been discharged after surgery on her left neck of femur fracture. This lady had been readmitted to our clinical area following her discharge due to signs of a UTI, fever and the wound site being very red and inflamed. Pam was showing all the signs and symptoms of a severe...
Words: 1259 - Pages: 6
...Intensive Care Units (ICUs) have undergone an impressive improvement and expansion over the last 50 years. In 1958, approximately 25% of community hospitals with more than 300 beds reported having an ICU. By 1997, more than 5,000 ICUs were operational in hospitals across the United States (7). Evidence has shown that the presence of specialized critical care teams which include an intensivist physician reduce patient mortality and morbidity (8, 9). The medical literature strongly supports the premise that patient outcomes in the ICU are improved when care is directed by a dedicated intensivist.15 High quality care to critically ill patients requires the adoption of a 24/7 intensivist model of critical care and the appropriate training, credentialing,...
Words: 707 - Pages: 3
...Quality of care to me is defined by patient satisfaction through verbal feedback and health outcomes. Nursing care is a form of customer service that is the recipient of constant criticism as well as praise. My quality of care is most definitely not always up to my personally set standards however, I am very critical of myself. Patient load as a current Patient Care Tech on a Medical Surgical floor is less than desirable. This sometimes necessitates less immediate needs, such as ambulation in the hallway and bathing those that could do so independently, less of a priority than those who are acutely ill mentally or physically and require more of my time, leaving the others feeling neglected or less important. Most shifts I refrain from taking...
Words: 339 - Pages: 2
...infection and wound healing after surgery. Understanding how nutrition can benefit as well as hurt recovery after surgery when caring for all patients. Malnutrition as a result of critical illness has been defined as ‘acute disease or injury-related malnutrition’, which is associated with severe, acute inflammation. During periods of critical illness, the inflammatory response elevates energy expenditure and nitrogen excretion that is only partially attenuated by the provision of nutritional support. Contributing to this weight loss is inadequate nutritional intake with ICU patients only receiving 60–80% of their prescribed energy and protein requirements.( JCN, 2014) These suboptimal intakes result from delays in initiating feeding and feed interruptions due to nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, large gastric aspirates, tube displacement, investigations and prolonged fasting for procedures. Oral diet following extubation from mechanical ventilation has also been shown to be inadequate. Peterson assessed the oral intake of 50 patients for the first seven days after extubation and found that mean energy and protein intake was <50% of estimated requirements on all seven days of the study period. (JCN, 2014) The authors identified a number of factors that may be associated with inadequate nutritional intake in extubated patients, including weakness, gastrointestinal disturbances, anorexia, lack of nutritional knowledge by healthcare...
Words: 519 - Pages: 3
...impediment in both primary and secondary care is extreme on the clinical program. The pressure ulcers could be very major health issue, were perceived to increase hospital stays and resulted in ongoing treatments. Background of the study Pressures ulcers are number one misjudge circumstances in acutely ill patients. In spit of the institution of Clinical practice regulations and innovation in medical science; the occurrence in hospitalized patients, of pressure sores continues to rise. At presence, concord is missing on the risk aspects for pressure sores in critical care patients, and there are no risk measurement scale particularly for pressure sores in these patients is existing. Objective To decide the major risk elements that projective of pressure sore in adult critically ill persons. At present Braden scale is the most common method of risk assessment for pressure ulcers. Braden scale is covering only six components, which are sensory acuity, moisture, nutrition, activity, mobility, and friction/shear. Potential grade from 6-23; lower numbers reveal high risk. Numbers of 15-18 shows mild risk; average risk were 13-14; scores of ten to twelve denotes more danger; and scores of 9 or less means extreme danger.. Other elements which are not included in the Braden Scale, cause raise the level of risk for pressure ulcers in patients, which is why it is very important to determinants in patients who are in Intensive care unit. Facts indicate that these elements...
Words: 789 - Pages: 4
...CONCEPT OF CRITICAL CARE Critical care nursing is that specialty within nursing that deals specifically with human responses to life-threatening problems. * As defined by the World Federation of Critical Care Nurses: Specialized nursing care of critically ill patients who have manifest or potential disturbances of vital organ functions. Critical care nursing means assisting, supporting and restoring the patient towards health, or to ease the patient’s pain and to prepare them for a dignified death. Aim To establish a therapeutic relationship with patients and their relatives and to empower the individuals’ physical, psychological, sociological, cultural and spiritual capabilities by preventive, curative and rehabilitative interventions. Illnesses and injuries commonly seen in patients on critical care units (CCUs) Gunshot wounds Traumatic injuries Cardiovascular disorders Surgeries Respiratory disorders Shock THE EVOLUTION OF CRITICAL CARE * Forty years of development in critical care and critical care nursing has given rise to a recognized specialty in nursing practice . * Critical care units have evolved over the last four decades in response to medical advances . HISTORICAL PRESPECTIVES * Florence nightingale recognized the need to consider the severity of illness in bed allocation of patients and placed the seriously ill patients near the nurses’ station. * Modern medicines boomed to its higher ladder after world war 2 * Dr. Walter...
Words: 1275 - Pages: 6
...birth control is a strong progressive value and because preventing birth is the cheapest way to curtail the cost of pregnancy and child care under universal health care. economic consequences will rise uncontrollably the price of living will be much extremely high and the taxes will be even higher because the money to pay for the universal health insurance has to come from some when and that will be from our food, gas, and real estate. Much worse, an eventual resumption of involuntary sterilization is a real possibility. In the 20th century, the same people who pushed birth control successfully promoted involuntary sterilization. Abortion rates will rise. Again this is inevitable because abortion is already a progressive program and because next to birth control abortion is the most efficient way of eliminating the costs of pregnancy, delivery, and infant and child health care. Patients will be pushed out of hospitals into homecare, hospice care, and custodial nursing homes. This will be done under the guise of utilizing more "humane" or even "caring" or "advanced" alternatives to hospital treatment. But in reality it will be reduce by eliminating more costly care and by shortening lives. Assisted suicide, already a progressive agenda item, will be pushed for depressed and suicidal people, pain managment patients, and the chronically ill. Once again, cost cutting will masquerade...
Words: 693 - Pages: 3
...meeting and shift report. She walks into each of her patients’ rooms in the early morning with the night shift nurse, introducing herself and discussing today’s plan of care for each patient. When she arrives to her last patient’s door, the night shift nurse explains that this particular person will be ‘difficult’. She hears “he is quite a handful,” “he’s really sick but just hasn’t died yet,” “the room is full of family,” “everyone is hysterical,” and “you won’t be getting out of his room any time soon.” A few other staff members collect...
Words: 1637 - Pages: 7
...children. -medical care for children who are acutely or chronically ill. Pediatricians manage the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their patients, in every stage of development -- in good health or in illness. Generally, pediatricians focus on babies, children, adolescents, and young adults from birth to age 21 years to: -reduce infant and child mortality -control infectious disease -foster healthy lifestyles -ease the difficulties of children and adolescents with chronic conditions Click here for more information about the Physicians and Staff at the University of Maryland Children's Hospital. Pediatricians diagnose and treat: -infections -injuries -genetic defects -malignancies -organic diseases and dysfunctions But, pediatricians are concerned with more than physical well-being. They also are involved with the prevention, early detection, and management of other problems that affect children and adolescents, including: -behavioral difficulties -developmental disorders -functional problems -social stresses -depression or anxiety disorders Pediatrics is a collaborative specialty -- pediatricians work with other medical specialists and healthcare professionals to provide for the health and emotional needs of children. Education: -Following graduation from medical school, primary care pediatricians complete three years of education in an accredited pediatric residency program. -Pediatric residency training emphasizes care of the whole infant...
Words: 274 - Pages: 2
...the characteristics and needs of the patients in Australia and the rest of the world keep changing. The hospitals have been receiving an increased number of patients with different ailments and sometimes they get more ill during their stay in the health facility. The warning sighs always show on a patient before the adverse events such as unexpected deaths, admission to the ICUs or even cardiac arrests. It has been noted that, these warning signs are sometimes not identified, hence not acted upon (Adam, Odell, & Welch, 2010). This study is meant to discuss the case of Mrs. Jones, a 72 year old lady who has been admitted in the ward with increasing confusion and decreasing mobility. Her recent history suggests that she has had Urinary Tract Infection, and she usually has a GCS of 15. Her normal blood pressure always ranges from 140 to 150. During the primary assessment, it is noted that she is not in danger and she opens her eyes when her name is called. She is able to talk and her airway is patent. Her accessory muscle use is increases; her RR is at 22 and SP02 is at 95% on room air. She is also pale and diaphoretic. Her pulses are weak and thread y with the heart rate of 120 and blood pressure of 95/50, GCS at 13/15, temp at 38.5, BGL at 13.2mmol/L and pain in the lower abdomen. Nurses role in recognizing and responding to clinical deterioration The nurses also have a role of ensuring that the medication that a specific patient is getting provides the best possible...
Words: 3607 - Pages: 15
...showing its vital role in early identification and quick treatment of a patient who is experiencing a fast deterioration of health. There are other diverse scores that are similar to the Early Warning Score (EWS). For example, there is the ‘Modified Early Warning Score’ and the ‘National Early Warning Score’. The above scores have different terms because they use different set of parameters and variables in measurement when compared to the EWS. This paper will focus on the use of EWS consistently and will only refer to measurements that fall under EWS. Literature mainly drawn from national policies and guidelines issued by bodies such as the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), National Confidential Inquiry into Patient Outcome and Death (NCEPOD), and National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) reinforce our support of the use and efficacy of EWS. Through the use of literature derived from medical books nursing journal, medical journals, and other medical sources from the internet we will provide evidence on the efficacy and use of EWS. The objective will be to come up with a recommendation on the EWS that is derived from research. The first consideration when discussing critical care is to consider what it comprises of. Critical care is the direct delivery of medical-care to the patients that are acutely ill. While giving critical care it should be understood that critically ill patients require skilled nursing and superior medical inputs in the realm of...
Words: 2945 - Pages: 12
...health record implementation on patient flow metrics in a pediatric emergency department (Kennebeck, Timm, Farrell, Sooner, 2012) attempted to quantify the effects of offloading low acuity patients and its impact on length of stay. Length of stay and volume of patients in an emergency department are correlated. The study was conducted in a pediatric emergency department (ER) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Prior to implementation, a plan was utilized to off load patients to a different area in the ER due to a surge from the H1N1 flu virus. This was successful in decreasing patient numbers and length of stay. The organization decided to use the same template for the EHR implementation. Despite its prior success, offloading patients did not improve efficiency or length of stay (LOS) during EHR implementation. The primary issue identified was the failure of offloading patients. The study stated, “During implementation only 5% of patients were diverted. During the H1N1 surge, 10-20% of patients were diverted.” (Kennebeck, Timm, Farrell, Spooner, 2012). The organization used the same criteria for both scenarios. Changing the criteria could be a simple solution. The organization could have added to the flu symptom criteria. For example: lacerations, simple orthopedic injuries, or anything that could be seen in an urgent care setting. This would decrease visits to the main ER and improve efficiency based on decreased number of patients seen....
Words: 890 - Pages: 4
... Huddersfield University Nursing (Mental Health) Bsc (Hons) 2015-16 • 300 UCAS points including a social or biological science, Psychology, Maths or Health and Social Care • DDM BTEC in Health and Social Care. • English Language or English Literature and Maths GCSE at C or above Develop a high level of personal and technical skills to meet the differing needs of mental health service users who may be acutely ill, suffering with long term conditions or need help to maintain their health. You will learn how to work in partnership with patients and service users, their families, carers and other professionals to promote health, well being and recovery. Bradford University Nursing-Mental Health BSc (Hons) • BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM in a relevant Health or Science • Plus minimum of: 5 GCSEs at grade C or above to include English Language, Mathematics and Science (equivalents accepted). Will be taught by a team of professional nurses supported by other staff at the School of Health Studies, and have access to a suite of purpose-built practice simulation suites, which allow you to be taught and to practise your core clinical skills, from bed making, moving patients and taking blood pressure to giving injections, ward rounds and dispensing medication, and simulation of the seriously ill person using our interactive models. The clinical wards house a variety of equipment which you would...
Words: 567 - Pages: 3
...in the Terminally Ill Excelsior College Missy Robinson January 8, 2012 In many societies, there is close relationship associated with food and caring. The giving of food is often considered to represent compassion in the minds of most people. It is not surprising that the issue of withholding artificial hydration and nutrition is such a heavily debated topic. To make a more informed decision, patients and/or family members need to be educated about the benefits, legal, and ethical considerations of dehydration in the terminally ill patient. Literature supports that forced hydration during the end of life is of little benefit and may actually worsen a patient’s condition. Dehydration in the terminally ill can be a very therapeutic treatment. The deterioration of the terminally ill patient coincides with no longer having the ability to take oral fluids or nutrition. Dehydration is usually characterized by thirst, dry mouth, decreased skin turgor, decreased urinary output, and electrolyte imbalance. However, not all patients who are terminally ill and not medically hydrated exhibit these signs and symptoms (Vaz, 2010, p.1). This suggests that dehydration in the terminally ill is different than in the acutely ill patient. Dehydration has potential benefits for the end-of-life (EOL) patient. Benefits of dehydration in the terminally ill include perhaps, the most important issue to families, patients, and caregivers concerning the dying patient which is comfort...
Words: 1273 - Pages: 6
...Caring for Patients with Dementia Rachel Padgett Chamberlain College of Nursing Course Number: NR 103 May 2016 Caring for Patients with Dementia Dementia is something that not many people my age think about but is something I have had a very hands on experience with. Working at Penney Retirement Community I have witnessed just how much this disease impacts not only this persons every day life. The biggest part that both struggled with was communication. The next part was understanding why they were acting a certain way. The struggle with communicating According to The World Health Organization, 47.5 million people have dementia and there are 7.7 million new cases every year. These numbers I believe will keep growing as years go by. I believe that Its important to learn how to properly care for these patients now and by doing this the first step is learning how to communicate.(Kilgore 2015) states that the need for improved communication arises from recognizing the loss of verbal and other communication skills by the person with dementia. My own personal experience has taught me to still treat the person the same way you would treat them if they weren't confused and knew who you were every day also with respect. Staff adhering to this ethos gather information from family and friends about the persons likes and dislikes and take into consideration the importance of the individuals own interpretation of their subjective reality. (Downs 2013). One way I was able to do this...
Words: 444 - Pages: 2
