Written Assignment - Case Study

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You are a staff nurse at the county health department, providing care to low-income and uninsured individuals. You are caring for Mrs. S., a 57 year old woman with a new diagnosis of hypertension. She is 5’ 3”, weighs 235 lbs., and smokes ¾ - 1 pack of cigarettes per day. She has a 10^th grade education. Her first language is English. Her other diagnoses include insulin-dependent type II diabetes and depression. Her family consists of her husband, 24 year old daughter, and 26 year old son. They are all morbidly obese and are smokers themselves. All are very devoted to her and want to help her get healthy in whatever way they can.

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What are three questions that you might ask of her and the family to determine how best to proceed with her care? Consider things such as patient preference and readiness to learn.

Mrs. S. tells you that she is not ready to quit smoking yet. She would like to eat healthier, but thinks that healthy food “has no flavor”. She is interested in learning about how to start exercising.

What are your personal thoughts and beliefs related to the statement above? Remember –examining our own beliefs and values is very important in critical thinking and providing nursing care.

Now that you’ve examined your beliefs – what type of education might you provide to her that takes into account her preferences, values, and readiness to learn? List at least three different education activities.

What types of resources might you refer her to for further support/information? (Hint: The American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, and Centers for Disease control [to name a few] have great patient resources that you can use).

References

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