Describe the course of action that you will take to confirm this suspicion and prevent further decline.
Approximately 1 hour later, you return to Ms. Jacksons room with her morning pills and find her slumped over the bedside stand in tears. The patient states, “I dont know what is wrong, I dont feel right. My back hurts and Im just so tired. What is wrong with me?” The patient refuses to take her medications at this time stating that she is starting to feel sick to her stomach.
Just then the nursing assistant comes into the patients room to record Ms. Jacksons vital signs, you take this opportunity to quickly research the patients medication record to determine if she has a medication ordered for nausea. Upon return, the nursing assistant hands you the following vital signs: T 37, R 18, and BP 132/54, but states she couldnt get the patients pulse because “it is all over the place.”
Please address the following questions related to the scenario.
- What do you suspect is the cause of the patients symptoms?
- Describe the course of action that you will take to confirm this suspicion and prevent further decline.
- What further assessments, lab values, and tests will likely be ordered for this patient and how often? If testing is to be completed more than once, please explain the rationale for doing so.
- While you are caring for this patient, how will you ensure that the needs of your other patients are being met?