Essay on Nursing Assessment - 2967 Words

Element: Prevention of pressure ulcers This essay is going to explore the nursing process with regard to the prevention of pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers are a widespread and often underestimated health problem in the UK. They occur in 4-10% of patients admitted to hospital (Ward et al, 2010). This essay, using case study 4, will explore the holistic nursing process, and also the biological, sociological, psychological and ethical issues regarding the prevention of pressure ulcers. Lily is frightened due to her shortness of breath (dyspnoea), and as lying down exasperates her ability to breath effectively, has been sleeping in a chair. This is the primary concern of Lily. There has also been recent weight loss. The aim of†¦show more content†¦Losing weight, combined with sleeping in a chair, may have contributed to Lily having a suspected pressure ulcer. Unrelieved pressure, from sitting in a chair for long periods, squeezes the tiny blood vessels in the skin which supply the tissues with oxygen and nutrients. The tissues die when deprived of oxygen and nutrients for too long (Harris, 2009). Older people and those experiencing impaired nutrition are among the groups at risk of developing pressure ulcers (NICE, 2005). The Malnutrition Advisory Group of BAPEN (British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition) developed the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), (Perry, 2009). The MUST is a 5 step screening tool to identify adults who are malnourished, at risk of malnourishment or obese. Lily’s body mass index (BMI) will be calculated to obtain her overall risk of malnutrition. By talking to Lily and consulting her medical notes, the nurse can establish Lily’s weight loss over the last 3-6 months (BAPEN, 2009). Asking leading questions regarding Lily’s dietary habits and appetite will give the nurse an understanding of her nutritional intake. If Lily scored 2 or more in the MUST tool then she would be considered high risk (Perry, 2009). Lily will be assessed for her risk of developing a pressure ulcer. A number of evidence-based tools have been developed but the Waterlow pressure ulcer riskShow MoreRelatedNursing Assessment1391 Words   |  6 PagesPhysician Dismisses Nursing Assessments, Question of Nurse Advocacy. Summary: The patient was involved in a motorcycle accident in which his bike fell onto and injured his left leg. When the nurses assessing the patient could not detect a pulse in that leg, an ominous sign of circulatory failure. The physician when notified chose to dismiss this fact and discharge the patient. The patient would return soon after with worsening symptoms that would require emergency surgery. Should the nurses haveRead MoreAssessment Of A Nursing Health Assessment1895 Words   |  8 PagesWhat is assessment? Assessment in nursing has been influenced by the problem-solving framework of the nursing process and nursing models. Assessment of need is fundamental to the care process and has received much attention in correspondence to the establishment of eligibility criteria for long-term care (RCN, 2004). A health assessment not only comprises of gathering health information about a patient, but also analyzing and synthesizing the information, and evaluating the effectiveness of nursingRead MoreHolistic Assessment Of Nursing Assessment1984 Words   |  8 PagesNursing process is a systematic process that involves a continuous cycle of five interrelated phases: holistic assessment of a client, nursing diagnoses, nursing care planning, implementation, and evaluation (Wilkinson et al. 2015). It enables nurses to assess the person’s health status and health care needs, to create plans to meet the identified needs, and to provide and evaluate individualised nursing interventions according to the person’s needs (Luxford 2015). The holistic assessment is theRead MoreEvaluation Of A Nursing Assessment958 Words   |  4 PagesA nursing assessment is defined as a systematic and dynamic process to collect and examine data about a patient. Nurses play a crucial role in the health care field, and one of the most important aspects of their daily obligations is to assess patients, and to continuously reassess patients. The reason assessments are so significant is- in case of any changes in their patients condition whether it effects their health positively or negatively. Some of the most vital information can be gathered inRead MoreThe Assessment Of Rural Nursing2138 Words   |  9 PagesRural Nursing in Bowen This essay will discuss how and why Bowen is classified on the Accessibility/Remoteness index as a rural town in Queensland, Australia according to Smith, (2007. A profile of Bowen including the demographics, geographics, environmental and cultural characteristics of the small town will be explored. The health of the population will be looked at and how the profile of Bowen relates directly to the health impacts of Bowen’s residents. Employment and related health issues willRead MoreEvaluation Of A Nursing Assessment1926 Words   |  8 Pageseffortless. When breathing becomes difficult, an assessment must be undertaken by a nurse in order to make a nursing diagnoses. Once the assessment is completed, interventions are put in place in order for the health issue to be corrected, and an evaluation is done to examine whether or not the interventions were successful. If unsuccessful, the assessment process is repeated. This essay will discuss the information that should be gathere d during an assessment, and the possible interventions that may beRead MoreNursing Assessment Of Respiratory System733 Words   |  3 PagesCONCEPT 5: NURSING ASSESSMENT OF RESPIRATORY SYSTEM This concept is taken from Block 4, Module 6 which is entitled as ‘Assessment of respiratory system’. The respiratory system comprises of different organs used in respiration. Respiration involves inhalation and exchange of oxygen and carbondioxide between living organisms and the environment. The organs of respiration include; the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, 2 bronchi, bronchioles, 2 lungs and muscles of breathing (the intercostal muscles andRead MoreHolistic Health Assessment : Nursing1492 Words   |  6 PagesHolistic health assessment involves assessing an individual’s physical, psychological, social, developmental, spiritual and cultural needs. Without an assessment, a nurse would not be aware of the health problems affecting this patient, know what patient education is needed or know how to treat this patient with the appropriate treatment regarding their cultural or spiritual needs (Lewis Foley 2011). A lack of nursing assessment would be like asking an everyday citizen to perform open-heart surgeryRead MoreCommunity Assessment Nursing2731 Words   |  11 PagesAssessment of Non-acute Health and Social Services in Ponchatoula, Louisiana Laura K. Ogden Southeastern Louisiana University College of Nursing and Health Sciences School of Nursing NLAB 334 October 29, 2014 Assessment of Non-acute Health and Social Services in Ponchatoula, Louisiana The community assessed was Ponchatoula, Louisiana. The focus of the assessment was non-acute health and social services. The community-as-partner modelRead MoreA Nursing Assessment For Pressure Ulcers1354 Words   |  6 Pageschanges, immobility, impaired wound healing, incontinence, type one and type two diabetes, edema, altered circulation, low serum albumin, and malnutrition. Perhaps the most important step in prevention begins with a comprehensive integument nursing assessment for pressure ulcers. There are many pressure ulcer prevention interventions currently in practice; however, few of the interventions are supported by high quality evidence. For reference, the Braden scale assesses the general population and