11:59 PM

Assessing and Planning Care for an Elderly Person

In order to gain an insight into the world of elder adults, it is important to understand how they view themselves and the values they hold. Additionally it is important to assess and determine his/her needs and establish appropriate interventions for this individual.

By the due date assigned, choose an older adult to interview. This cannot be a patient in your clinical setting. You can use a friend, family member, or co-worker. The older adult should be 65 years or older. Use the format provided to record the responses. A list of questions is available for you to start with. Include 2–3 questions of your own to get a complete picture of the older adult. Summarize your findings and also contrast the responses with findings in your readings and other current literature.

Download a patient questionnaire. This form should be used as an example.

After gaining permission, conduct a physical and mental functional assessment of the older adult you have chosen. Review your readings for the process of functional assessment.

Make use of the tools discussed this week to complete a comprehensive assessment of your patient. Search the Internet for resources on these tools.

1. Tinetti Balance and Gait Evaluation
2. Katz Index of Activities of Daily Living
3. Assessment of Home Safety
4. The Barthel Index

Make sure the older adult is clearly identified on the tools. Do not include their name, but do include professional or other designation, and age. Your name should also be identified on the tool. (This should be a part of your Appendix.)

Compare and contrast the age-related changes of the older person you interviewed and assessed with those identified in this week’s reading assignment. During this data analysis process provide at least 4–6 preliminary issues that you have identified. Identify three alterations in health that you would propose and describe them. Identify a minimum of three comprehensive interventions for each problem.

Make sure that you integrate personal cultural awareness and cultural competency.

Paper should be 5–6 pages, not including the questionnaire or tools used. These should be attached as an Appendix. Remember to use headings to identify the different sections in your paper.

On a separate references page, cite all sources using APA format.

Case Study, Chapter 8, Overview of Genetics and Genomics in Nursing

1. A patient who is 38 years of age is diagnosed with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary disease that results in fluid-filled cysts occupying space in the kidneys. The cysts can interfere with the function of the kidney and may burst and cause bleeding inside the kidney. The patient with polycystic kidney disease may or may not have a berry aneurysm of a blood vessel in the brain that could lead to bleeding and death, cysts on the ovaries, and a mitral valve prolapse (in females) that can lead to dysrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms), or diverticula (outpouching of the bowel) that are susceptible to infection and inflammation and may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding. The patient is susceptible to retaining fluid in the abdomen so the abdomen is large to constipation, and to hypertension. There is no cure for the disease. The patient receives supportive care for the various symptoms or complications the patient may have.

1. When explaining to the patient and family about polycystic kidney disease, the nurse should explain what characteristics about an autosomal dominant genetic disease?
2. How does variable expression of genetic characteristics play a role in the course of polycystic kidney disease and how can the nurse further predict the level of the disease?
3. Identify the roles of the nurse in integrating genetics in the nursing care provided for the patient.

2. Mr. Wayne is a 38-year-old man with a significant family history of elevated cholesterol levels. His father died at age 42 from a massive heart attack secondary to elevated cholesterol and triglycerides, and two of his older siblings are currently taking medications to lower their cholesterol levels. Mr. Wayne makes an appointment to discuss his risk for hypercholesterolemia. The nurse recognizes that Mr. Wayne is at risk for familial hypercholesterolemia because this is an autosomal dominant inherited condition.

1. Describe the pattern of autosomal dominant inheritance.
2. Mr. Wayne asks what chance his children have of developing familial hypercholesterolemia. How should the nurse respond?
3. Explain the phenomenon of penetrance observed in autosomal dominant inheritance.

Assignment: Evidence-Based Project, Part 5: Recommending an Evidence-Based Practice Change

The collection of evidence is an activity that occurs with an endgame in mind. For example, law enforcement professionals collect evidence to support a decision to charge those accused of criminal activity. Similarly, evidence-based healthcare practitioners collect evidence to support decisions in pursuit of specific healthcare outcomes.

In this Assignment, you will identify an issue or opportunity for change within your healthcare organization and propose an idea for a change in practice supported by an EBP approach.

To Prepare:

• Reflect on the four peer-reviewed articles you critically appraised in Module 4.
• Reflect on your current healthcare organization and think about potential opportunities for evidence-based change.

The Assignment: (Evidence-Based Project)

Part 5: Recommending an Evidence-Based Practice Change

Create an 8- to 9-slide PowerPoint presentation in which you do the following:

• Briefly describe your healthcare organization, including its culture and readiness for change. (You may opt to keep various elements of this anonymous, such as your company name.)
• Describe the current problem or opportunity for change. Include in this description the circumstances surrounding the need for change, the scope of the issue, the stakeholders involved, and the risks associated with change implementation in general.
• Propose an evidence-based idea for a change in practice using an EBP approach to decision making. Note that you may find further research needs to be conducted if sufficient evidence is not discovered.
• Describe your plan for knowledge transfer of this change, including knowledge creation, dissemination, and organizational adoption and implementation.
• Describe the measurable outcomes you hope to achieve with the implementation of this evidence-based change.
• Be sure to provide APA citations of the supporting evidence-based peer reviewed articles you selected to support your thinking.
• Add a lessons learned section that includes the following:
  • A summary of the critical appraisal of the peer-reviewed articles you previously submitted
  • An explanation about what you learned from completing the evaluation table (1 slide)
  • An explanation about what you learned from completing the levels of evidence table (1 slide)
  • An explanation about what you learned from completing the outcomes synthesis table (1 slide)

When tissue is injured, due to overuse or strain, nerve cells send pain messages through the spinal cord to the brain. Other nerves send messages from the brain to tighten the muscles in the injured area. While the muscle tightness acts as a way to protect an injury from, the spasm also causes more secondary to the inhibition of the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the injured area. Heat therapy can be very beneficial to an injured area as local application results in vasodilatation, which increases the blood flow, brings nutrients, oxygen and white blood cells to the area to clean up the damage and stimulate healing.

Describe in your own words how local application of heat will support the healing process. Give the pathophysiology, indications, contraindications, methods, and nursing care for heat application. Cite any research sources you use to support your answers.

Please make an initial post by midweek, and respond to at least two other student’s posts with substantial details that demonstrate an understanding of the concepts, and critical thinking. Remember that your posts must exhibit appropriate writing mechanics including using proper language, cordiality, and proper grammar and punctuation. If you refer to any outside sources or reference materials be sure to provide proper attribution and/or citation.

Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.