Question

A 70-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his wife. They were traveling together on a 700-mile car trip. She is concerned that he might have Alzheimer’s disease because he suddenly does not know where he is. She tells you that her husband has only a few health problems, including high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia. He usually takes hydrochlorothiazide ( Diuril) for the high blood pressure, and he did take the drug this morning as usual. She also mentions that he drank only two cups of coffee yesterday and today so that he would not stop so frequently to use the bathroom. 5. What assessment data should you collect and in what order? Provide rationale for the order.?

Answer 1

The assessment data to be collected is as follows:

What food the patient had taken last night?

Did he consume water or any other fluids since, morning?

How much quantity of fluids he had taken?

How many times he passed the urine and how much quantity?

Did he pass stools?

Does he had fever?

What is the body temperature at present?

Examination of skin, eyes and tongue for observing symptoms of dehydration etc are required for assesing the patient condition.

The patient might had dehydration. Coffee is a diuretic and sends out more water in the form of urine from the body. Less water or fluid consumption reduces the urine output as well as tightens the stools. Individual with dehydration may have low grade fever. Therefore, all these information are required to assess the condition. Severe water loss might had resulted in dehydration. During dehydration, the brain does not get adequate blood supply. Hence, it may lead to confusion and the mental status changes indicating fluid imbalance. More often, this condition is observed in elderly suffering with dehydration.