Application of Anatomy and Physiology When Performing Direct Patient Care

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Application of Anatomy and Physiology when Performing Direct Patient Care

Scenario: A patient suffering from the following conditions requires direct patient care:

Urosepsis (Urinary tract infection)

Acute Gouty arthritis (Gout)

Cardiac dysrhythmias (Irregular heartbeat)

Hypertensive renal disease (Kidney damage caused by chronic high blood pressure)

DM Type II (Type II diabetes)

Bipolar (Bipolar disorder)

Derangement of joint (Internal joint damage caused by previous trauma)

Contracture joint (Permanent shortening and contraction of joint)

Dental condition (Missing all but four front teeth)

The presence of urosepsis in a patient already suffering from the chronic condition of Type II diabetes is an immediate concern. Diabetes causes many of the predisposing factors, including poor glycemic control, high urinary glucose, and increased bacterial adherence to uroepithelial cells, which are known to cause a variety of severe complications associated with urosepsis. This situation requires immediate treatment of the urinary tract infection through the administration of appropriate antibiotics to assure that the patient's diabetes is not complicated further.

The patient's gout is a chronic condition that is closely related to the prexisiting derangement and contracture of the joints. While these conditions are no doubt quite painful for the patient to cope with, the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, or intra-articular or systemic glucocorticoids will assist in alleviating aches and pains. As a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA), my twice-weekly clinic at the local long-term care facility required me to learn about various massage techniques that nurses can use to help patients cope with severe joint pain, and this patient may benefit from some of these techniques.

The latest research on physical contact to alleviate pain during direct patient care suggest that's massaging over bony prominences is not beneficial as once assumed, and this practice is no longer recommended, and massage may create situations in which certain at-risk patients experience decreased blood flow and tissue damage (Kockrow, 473). It is important to crosscheck the anti-inflammatory medications this patient receives with the antibiotics given for the urinary tract infection, as certain drug interactions can result in severe complications.

The patient suffering from bipolar disorder would appear to have no relevance to their direct patient care, unless proper medication dosages were not being adhered to, but this has not been an issue. The absence of teeth, while uncomfortable and a sign of advanced age, requires the assistance of a competent dentist and not a doctor.