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Overarching Case Study

Decent Essays

The purpose of this week’s assignment is to review a case study and discuss the patient’s cultural background, perception of health, and ways to overcome overarching issues. The case study I chose involves a Latino patient who presents for a follow-up after knee surgery. The patient is still having a significant amount of pain and is requesting a refill on his pain medication. The surgeon refuses to refill his prescription and makes the assumption that the patient is drug seeking.
Cultural Background of Patient and Perception of Health and Illness Carlos is a middle-aged Latino male who works in construction. He has recently undergone knee surgery and has been experiencing more post-op pain than most individuals his age (U.S. Department of …show more content…

He believes that Carlos is drug seeking and is looking for a quick fix for his problem. A colleague suggests that the patient may truly be in pain due to a case study she reviewed involving the Latino culture. The case study suggested that Latino men show increased pain after surgery compared to men of other ethnicities (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). The surgeon asks to review the case study and then reschedules another follow-up appointment for Carlos (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016). The overarching issue could have easily been resolved using three interventions. The first intervention would be for the physician to conduct a cultural self-assessment. He should first remove his prejudices and biases from his practice (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). The physician should then complete a physical examination to assess the type of pain Carlos is experiencing (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). Once the physical exam is complete, the physician and Carlos should set mutual goals, commence care planning, and implementation of care (Andrews & Boyle, 2016). The physician may also suggest other ways to manage pain such as ice packs, relaxation techniques, or even

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