Here you can read our free Guide on NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analyses and see its solution.
Instructions of NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment
CASE STUDY ANALYSIS
An understanding of the respiratory system is a critically important component of disease diagnosis and treatment. This importance is magnified by the fact that oftentimes, the respiratory system works closely with the cardiovascular system. A variety of factors and circumstances that impact the emergence and severity of issues in one system can have a role in the performance of the other.
Effective disease analysis often requires an understanding that goes beyond these systems and their capacity to work together. The impact of patient characteristics, as well as racial and ethnic variables, can also have an important impact.
An understanding of the symptoms of alterations in the respiratory system is a critical step in diagnosis and treatment of many diseases. For APRNs, this understanding can also help educate patients and guide them through their treatment plans.
In this Assignment, you examine a case study and analyze the symptoms presented. You identify the elements that may be factors in the diagnosis, and you explain the implications to patient health.
RESOURCES
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
To prepare:
By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned to a specific case study scenario for this Case Study Assignment. Please see the “Announcements” section of the classroom for your assignment from your Instructor.
The Assignment
In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following
The pulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
How these processes interact to affect the patient.
Week 4: Assignment 2: Case Study Analysis Assignment
Scenario : A 38-year-old female presents to the emergency room with complaints of dyspnea and left leg pain. Patient reports that her left leg started feeling heavy a few days ago and has also been red since she returned from a recent trip. She denies any injury to her leg. She reports that she started having some dyspnea in the last 24 hours. Patient history is remarkable for systemic lupus erythematosus and a history of recent airplane travel. She is also taking oral birth control. Her bp is 130/84, heart rate 100, R 24, and temp is 100.4F. Physical exam reveals unilateral +2 pitting leg edema to left leg with erythema.
In your Case Study Analysis, explain the following
The pulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
How these processes interact to affect the patient.
Please follow the rubric.
Submit your Case Study Analysis Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4
BY DAY 7 OF WEEK 4
Submit your Case Study Analysis Assignment by Day 7 of Week 4
Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The sample paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templatesLinks to an external site.). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE WEEK 4 ASSIGNMENT
Introduction to NURS 6501 Week Four Assignment
In Owlisdom, the NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analysis, you will analyze a clinical scenario involving a 38-year-old female presenting with dyspnea and left leg pain. The patient has a history of systemic lupus erythematosus and recent aeroplane travel. This How-To Guide will help you systematically approach the assignment by understanding the pulmonary pathophysiologic processes, considering racial and ethnic variables, and analysing how these processes affect the patient’s symptoms.
The pulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.
Understanding Pulmonary Pathophysiologic Processes
To start the NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analysis, we will understand the pulmonary pathophysiologic processes.
- Review the patient’s symptoms: dyspnea and unilateral leg pain with erythema and oedema.
- Understand the significance of each symptom of pulmonary and systemic conditions.
- Consider differential diagnoses such as pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and infections.
- Use clinical guidelines and evidence-based literature to support your reasoning.
- Explain how each diagnosis could lead to the symptoms presented.
- Discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms (e.g., clot formation, inflammation) underlying the potential conditions.
Example
The cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary systems are interdependent, powered by the heart’s dual pumps that circulate oxygenated blood through the body (McCance & Huether, 2019). Normally, these systems function seamlessly. However, when one part fails, it disrupts the entire system.
A 76-year-old female with a history of Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) presents with weight gain, shortness of breath, peripheral oedema, abdominal swelling, and orthopnea. The patient reports non-compliance with her diuretic regimen.
Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
Impact of Racial/Ethnic Variables on Physiological Functioning
Next NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analysis. We will discuss the impact of ethnic and racial variables on the physiological functioning of the patient.
- Determine if the patient’s race or ethnicity is mentioned or can be inferred.
- Identify genetic predispositions, cultural practices, or socioeconomic factors that may impact health.
- Research how the identified variables can influence physiological processes and disease progression.
- Use peer-reviewed articles to support your discussion on these influences.
- Explain how these variables may affect the patient’s presentation and outcomes.
- Discuss potential biases in healthcare that could impact diagnosis and treatment.
Racial/Ethnic Variables
Genetic factors such as cardiomyopathies, sarcomere proteins, and neurohumoral receptors increase the risk of HF (McCance & Huether, 2019). Although heart disease affects all races, African Americans and Hispanics have a higher prevalence of HF than Whites. African American women, in particular, have the highest incidence of HF in the United States (Breathett, 2020). A study by Bahrami (2008) found that African Americans have a significantly higher risk of developing CHF compared to Whites, largely due to higher rates of hypertension and diabetes. Additionally, socioeconomic and behavioural factors contribute to higher CHF morbidity rates among African Americans (Durstenfeld et al., 2016).
Conclusion
Although HF has no cure, adopting a healthy lifestyle—such as quitting smoking, eating well, and exercising—can help prevent its development. Risk factors like obesity, smoking, hypertension, and diabetes play significant roles, but genetic predispositions are also crucial. HF significantly impacts the quality and quantity of life, making prevention and management essential.
How do these processes interact to affect the patient?
Interaction of Pathophysiologic Processes and Patient Symptoms
For this section of the NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analysis, we will explore the interaction of the pathophysiologic processes and the patient’s symptoms.
- Combine the information from your analysis of symptoms, diagnoses, and racial/ethnic variables.
- Create a coherent narrative that links these elements together.
- Discuss how the pulmonary and systemic processes interact within the patient’s body.
- Explain the potential for compounding effects or complications due to these interactions.
- Summarise your findings in a logical and evidence-supported manner.
- Ensure your explanation addresses how these interactions affect the patient’s current state.
Pathophysiologic Process Dysfunction Interaction and Patient Presentation
Heart failure (HF), as described by Inamdar & Inamdar (2016), is a clinical syndrome caused by structural and functional defects in the heart, leading to impairments in the left ventricular (LV), right ventricular (RV), or both. Hypertension and ischemic heart disease are the leading risk factors for HF. Most HF cases are due to LV dysfunction, though other heart components like the myocardium, valves, and major vessels also play a role (McCance & Huether, 2019). HF is categorised into HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).
In HFrEF (systolic dysfunction), the heart’s ejection fraction is less than 40%, leading to insufficient tissue perfusion due to decreased cardiac output, often following myocardial infarctions. Ventricular remodelling, involving inflammatory and immune responses, disrupts the heart’s normal structure, causing progressive dilation and increased preload, worsening HF. Symptoms include dyspnea, orthopnea, cough with frothy sputum, fatigue, reduced urine output, and oedema due to pulmonary congestion and poor systemic circulation (McCance & Huether, 2019).
HFpEF (diastolic dysfunction) commonly affects older women and involves pulmonary congestion despite normal cardiac output. Major causes include hypertension-induced myocardial hypertrophy, ischemia, and ventricular remodelling. These changes impact the LV’s compliance and the RV’s relaxation, contributing to pulmonary oedema (McCance & Huether, 2019). In right-side HF, the RV cannot pump blood effectively into the pulmonary circulation, often due to increased LV filling pressure, leading to RV hypertrophy and eventual failure. This results in symptoms like jugular venous distention, ascites, hepatic congestion, and peripheral oedema. The patient’s symptoms, such as SOB, orthopnea, ascites, weight gain, and peripheral oedema, indicate chronic right-side HF secondary to left-side HF, exacerbated by her current condition. Educating the patient about proper diuretic use, salt intake reduction, daily weight monitoring, and record-keeping can help manage her symptoms better.
Closing
The NURS-6501N 45 Week 4 Assignment: Case Study Analysis requires a detailed and systematic approach to understanding the complex interactions between pulmonary pathophysiologic processes and the patient’s symptoms, considering the impact of racial and ethnic variables. The key takeaway is the importance of integrating clinical knowledge with patient-specific factors to understand the patient’s condition comprehensively. Following this How-To Guide can produce a thorough and well-supported analysis that reflects advanced pathophysiologic concepts . The upcoming module of NURS-6501N 45 revolves around Concepts of Endocrine Disorders.
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References
Bahrami, H., Kronmal, R., Bluemke, D. A., Olson, J., Shea, S., Liu, K., Burke, G. L., & Lima, J. A. (2008). Differences in the incidence of congestive heart failure by ethnicity: the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis. Archives of internal medicine, 168(19), 2138–2145. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.168.19.2138
Berkowitz, A. (2020). Clinical Pathophysiology Made Ridiculously Simple. Medmaster Inc.
Breathett, K. (2020, October 1). Latest Evidence on Racial Inequities and Biases in Advanced Heart Failure. American College of Cardiology. https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2020/10/01/11/39/latest-evidence-on-racial-inequities-and-biases-in-advanced-hf
Durstenfeld, M., Ogedegbe, O., Katz, S., Park, H., & Blecker, S. (2016, November). Racial and Ethnic Differences in Heart Failure Readmissions and Mortality in a Large Municipal Healthcare System. JACC Heart Failure 4(11): 885–893. doi:10.1016/j.jchf.2016.05.008
Inamdar, A. A. & Inamdar, A. C. (2016). Heart failure: Diagnosis, management, and utilisation, 5(7). doi:10.3390/jcm5070062
McCance, K. L. & Huether, S. E. (2019). Pathophysiology: The biologic basis for disease in adults and children (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Mosby/Elsevier
