Question

After reading the following case study, answer the questions in an APA formatted paper.

You will need to cite at least two (2) scientific references to support your answers. You

may use your textbook as one source. The other source must be from a scientific article

that was published no more than 5 years ago.

________________________________________________________________________

A 75 year old woman has been admitted to the hospital because of nausea and vomiting. She also

has a diagnosis of hepatitis C. She says she stopped drinking 3 years ago but has had increasing

problems with peripheral edema and shortness of breath and has had trouble getting out of bed or

a chair by herself. Laboratory results show that her liver enzyme levels are slightly elevated; her

sodium and potassium levels are decreased. Her blood pressure is 160/98 mm Hg, her pulse rate

is 98 beats/minute and her respiratory rate is 24 breaths/minute. She is afebrile and states that she

is having slight abdominal pain.

1.)From the brief facts given, what information will be important to consider when

obtaining a medication profile?

2.)From the nursing diagnoses in Box 1-3, choose at least two current and two “risk for”

diagnosis for this patient. How would you determine the priority of the nursing

diagnoses?

3.)The physician wrote the drug order below.

4.)What elements are missing from the medication order? What will you do next?

November 4, 2013

Give Lasix now

Charles Simmons, MD

5.)After the order is clarified, the pharmacy sends up furosemide (Lasix) 80 mg tablets, but

the patient is unable to swallow them because of her nausea. Your colleague suggests

giving the furosemide to her as an intravenous injection. What will you do next?

6.)After the patient receives the dose of furosemide, what will you do?

Answer 1

1. Information that is needed to be asked from the patient is about the medications she is taking and about compliance to the medications .

2. Two current diagnosis are :-

Shortness of breath related to disease co edition as evidenced by tachypnea .

Peripheral edema related to decreased albumin due to liver disease .

Two risk for diagnosis are :-

Cardiac arrest relates to decreased potassium levels

Acute pain related to elevated liver enzymes

3. The elements which are missing from the drug order are :-

- dose

- route

- frequency

- type of medication injection or tablet

4. I will ask the physician to write the complete medication order including the dose ,route and frequency .

5. The patient is unable to swallow tablets , I will have a consultation with the medication ordered physician about this and will ask him if intravenous route administration of the drug will be permitted .

6. After giving the drug furosemide ,I will monitor the intake and output of the patient .