Severe abdominal pain with bloody diarrhea at a frequency of twenty times per day can be a sign of a serious condition. In fact, the healthcare team should treat the issue as a medical emergency given the possibility of a life-threatening illness (Holtz, Neill & Tarr, 2009). Immediately I would question the patient regarding her medical and family history, including questions related to whether or not this was the first time she has experienced these symptoms. I would also inquire about the patient’s recent travels because it is possible the symptoms point to an infectious disease or a food-borne illness. Whatever the situation, the patient must first replenish the depleted fluids and electrolytes immediately during the administration of diagnostic procedures and patient monitoring. Also, it would be important to find out if the patient is on any medications including antibiotics, and whether or not she was pregnant. Some medications can cause acute diarrhea.
Because the patient has only experienced the symptoms for two days, this case can be considered acute. It could be caused by a temporary bacterial or viral infection or it could indicate the initial manifestation of symptoms of a more serious illness. If foodborne virus or bacteria had triggered the condition, then the patient should recover within a few days. If symptoms continue, though, the patient may indeed have a chronic condition. Diagnosing the patient’s condition will be challenging due to the great array of causes for bloody diarrhea especially during the acute stage (Holtz, Neill &...…inflammatory bowel disease could indicate the possibility for these conditions. Causes could be numerous including exposure to pathogens. Therefore, the patient is recommended a clean diet to reduce exposure to pathogens. Only if a pathogen has been identified in the laboratory reports should antibiotics be administered. Otherwise, the patient should be monitored until the results of the blood and stool tests return. Preventing the condition would depend on its causes. If the condition were due to a chronic and heritable condition like Crohn’s disease or colitis, then the patient will need to engage in lifestyle changes to regulate symptoms but if the patient is merely experiencing a temporary illness due to a pathogen, then the patient could be recommended techniques related to food safety and hygiene.…
Nurses and Abdominal Pain Patient Care The people that make up a medical setting contribute immensely and provide the professional care they know to patients who visit the place, whether it's a clinic or a hospital. When the patient first walks in, he or she will meet the desk clerk and other people who will help her get settled in. However, none are the most important when it comes to first
Acute Abdominal Pain -- Assessment Nurses are very often the first medical aid providers that most patients see. In today's interprofessional healthcare set up, a nurse's approach in collecting a patient's history and diagnosing if the pain is acute or non-acute would assuredly help in providing the patient with appropriate treatment. It is therefore primary that nurses be fully equipped to diagnose the various ailments and start on the care to
Lower Abdominal Pain Patient: Patient is a 30-year-old female presenting with lower abdominal pain, beginning approximately 48-hour previous to her exam. Over the last few days, her pain has increased, and she reports vaginal bleeding that is scanty. She did have a normal menstrual period that ending two-weeks prior, and she indicates this was normal and lasted about 4 days. She is Gravida 2, Para -0, Miscarriage -- 2, and has
Assessing the Abdomen Abdominal pain has proven to be a major issue facing emergency room doctors since the diagnosis process is relatively complex. Meisel (2011) contends that doctors in emergency rooms do not fancy diagnosing and treating abdominal pain because it entails dealing with bodily fluids, complex internal examinations, and a wide range of diagnostic tests and therapies. This comes at a time when abdominal pain is one of the major
Abdominal AssessmentA 65-year-old African American presents to the emergency department with a two days history of intermittent epigastric abdominal pain radiating from the back. Following an assessment, he was diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) but the doctor ordered a CTA scan. However, diagnosis of abdominal pain is a time-consuming and challenging process that can result in misdiagnosis if not conducted properly. The doctor�s recommendation of a CTA scan is
Patient: 66-Year-Old Black / African-American Female With Complaint of Sudden Onset of Mid Upper Epigastric Pain Pertinent PMH During the initial medical exam, it is critical to gauge the severity of the pain. The healthcare practitioner should inquire as to the presence of previous medical conditions such as colitis, Crohn's disease, and IBS which could be the cause of the sudden onset. In the instance of abdominal pain, the provider should determine
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