Nursing Case Pharmacology Case Studies

In the following case study, the author will discuss the issues surrounding a seventy-year-old female with a chronic neuropathic ulcer on the sole of her right foot and the rationale and implications of

A 68 year old male presented to the emergency department at 0800 hours via ambulance after experiencing chest discomfort and intermittent palpitations since 0500 hours. Prior to presentation, the patient stated he

The aim of this assignment is to analyse the use of safe and effective prescribing which occurred in the student health visitors (HV)’s area of practice under the supervision of the practice teacher. The case study will be developed on the seven principles of the prescribing pyramid (NPC, 1999) and Driscoll model of reflection will be used to reflect on the prescribing scenario. In accordance with the Nursing and Midwifery ‘s professional code of conduct (NMC, 2015) confidentiality shall be maintained. Hence mother will be known as Debra and baby knows as Ella.

The aim of this study is to provide a detailed account of the nursing care for a patient who is experiencing a breakdown in health. One aspect of their care will be discussed in relation to the nursing process. The model used to provide an individualised programme of care will be discussed and critically analysed.

1. The nurse is asked to implement a new, complex, and invasive procedure and is concerned that this may violate the state’s nurse practice act.

You are working in the internal medicine clinic of a large teaching hospital. Today your first patient is 70-year-old J.M, a man who has been coming to the clinic for several years for management of CAD and HTN. A cardiac catheterization done a year ago showed 50% stenosis of the circumflex coronary artery. He has had episodes of dizziness for the past 6 months and orthostatic hypotension, shoulder discomfort, and decreased exercise tolerance for the past 2 months. On his last clinic visit 3 weeks ago, a CXR showed cardiomegaly and a 12-lead ECG showed sinus tachycardia with left bundle branch block. You review his morning blood work and initial assessment.

As clinical site co-ordinator with many years of clinical experience I feel competent in the drug administration via a variety of routes. Generally the patients I attend have become acutely unwell with most prescriptions not having the third eye of a pharmacist and most drugs being delivered intravenously. It is imperative therefore that the prescription and drugs always be thoroughly checked which relies on good communication throughout. Furthermore, most emergency drugs have a protocol for administration developed by the hospital. However within this situation the nurse is generally the last defence before any medication error actually occurs, therefore it is the nurses responsibility to ensure the prescription is correct and to challenge prescription written

CHIEF COMPLAINT: This is a post op note from a procedure performed July 21, 2015 by David Lin, MD.

Patient is a 60-year-old Latin American female, who presents with her husband for evaluation of some spells. She seems to have two different things going on. She did report intermittent episodes of feeling of weakness with blurred vision, diffuse paresthesias and a sensation she is about to pass out or the sensation of before undergoing generalized surgery, feeling like she is being sucked down. There is no loss of consciousness with this. She is unable to give any further history, except these events have been going on for about a month. They are almost daily. She does note they happen after eating, at which point, she will fall asleep easily. Otherwise, she denies any loss of consciousness,

Mr. S is a 29-year-old male with past medical history of (PMH) hypertension (HTN) and obesity who presented to local emergency room (ER) with headache and chest and back pain. Mr. s had been seen at urgent care three days prior for a headache and near syncope and was told to hold his metoprolol due to bradycardia. Due to health insurance related problem, he has been off amlodipine and lisinopril for a month.

“The patient is Adam Rudd, a 78 y/o white male with a history of hypertension. He has been diagnosed with hypertension past 15 years and is on anti-hypertensive medications and aspirin. He is very weak and short of breath. He is accompanied with his longtime friend Jennifer, who reports that Rudd was looking very weak and was complaining of severe headache and blurred vision before coming to the hospital. He is 5’9” and weighs 270 lb. Vital signs recorded were: oral temperature 98.20 F, BP 224/120 mm Hg with a heart rate of 102 beats/minute and respiration of 24 breaths per minute. The pulse oximetry reading was 94% on room air. He is complaining of severe headache and blurred vision. Rudd said that he did not take his antihypertensive medication or aspirin since he ran out of pills. He has not been taking his medication for past 15 days. He reports no known allergies to any medications or other substances.”

Within this assignment it is intended to present an example of a prescribing situation that arose in practice, to ensure prescribing issues are illustrated. The rationale for the decisions reached will also be discussed. A brief overview of the nurse prescribing initiative and how it developed will be addressed. The importance of ethical principles, accountability and legal issues that surround nurse prescribing will be demonstrated. As a patient will be addressed in the example, a pseudonym will be used.

Mrs. Wilson is seen in her room at Glenbridge Nursing Home on 02/28/2018. She had an episode last night of chest pain. She is so ebullient and distracted that it is hard to get a straight history, it came on when she was asleep but she may been sitting up. She was seen by a nurse, a sat was taken. I am not sure if there were other orders taken, but there is none on the chart. She says that she spent most of this morning in the bed and still feels tired, but she does not think she broke out in a sweat. She was more short of breath. She is calling it is a "stroke." I had tried to begin tapering her diazepam by discontinuing the morning dose and apparently all daytime clorazepate was discontinued by error and she gets it only at night.

----- Clinic presents a black male 68 years old. Currently experiencing dyspnea and lethargy. For the past week he has been having a increase of difficulty breathing. Complains of alternating periods of sweating and chills. Other symptoms he has been experiencing is a productive cough with expectoration of thick yellow sputum. Patient is a ex- smoker, he was a 40 pack year history, denies smoking, stopped over 10 years ago. Medical history includes chronic bronchitis, hypertension, MI five years ago, has had a angioplasty, and denies chest pain since having angioplasty. Current medication combined albuterol/ipratropium MDI, nebulized albuterol prn, captopril, and hydrochlorothiazide.

The Premier of Ontario Kathleen Wynne announced in a press conference that she would expand the registered nurse (RN) scope of practice in Ontario to include prescribing medication and the nurse practitioner scope of practice to include ordering CT scans and X-Rays (Campbell, 2014) (Appendix A). She explained that expanding this scope of practice would enable health professionals in all subdivisions to deliver care in a more efficient and effective way; thus providing better patient-centered care and decreased wait times. Which raises the question will increasing the RN scope of practice to allow RNs to prescribe medications, effectively address the issue of patient centered care and wait times in Ontario?