Table of Contents
Case Study 1
Partial colectomy implies the partial removal of the cancerous tumor. It has been reported that the post-operation recovery should last from six to twelve weeks. However, the patient was removed from the recovery medical center because he felt better. The patient should also stay in hospital for no less than a week after the surgery to avoid complications. Additionally, the patient passing colectomy usually has horrible gasses, but they should not feel pains. Therefore, it might be the reason why the physicians misdiagnosed the patient.
Before removing the patient from the post-operational recovery, they should take into consideration both short-term and long-term complications. Due to the fact that short-term complication can occur within 30 days of surgery, the nurses should have monitored the patient’s state during this period. However, the complications often exclude the emergence of gas pains. In fact, excessive gas emissions, following colectomy could also indicate the infection because gas is the result of bacteria spread. Gas can also pose a threat to the development of pulmonary embolism, the blockage of the main artery causing rapid heart rate increase. The shortness of breath is also among the typical features of this diagnosis. The misconception could explain the lack of connection between gas pains and embolism, but a deeper consideration and greater attention of the nurses could have saved the patient’s life. In the studies by Kirchhoff, Claven, and Hahnloser (2010), the attention is paid to the assessment of post-operative complications and the improvement of treatment and recovery strategies. The training programs designed for surgeons could contribute to the quality of healthcare services and patient safety. Reconsidering the currently existing standards should be premised on previous precedents and surgeon’s experience and knowledge in the field. The patient, therefore, could have been saved as soon as physicians have widened the set of possible infections that could threaten the patient’s life.
Case Study 2
The case study reveals the negative results of physical examination. The laboratory results point to the patient’s anemia. The record history shows that the patient is a vegetarian and rarely consumes alcohol. However, low level of hemoglobin requires the patient to reconsider her diet. Malnutrition and lack of minerals can cause physical impairment and fatigue. In fact anemia is considered to be among the most widespread diagnoses. Poor diet and lack of protein and all other elements should be reconsidered as well. The young female should consume more beans, which replace protein that is contained in meat, fish, eggs, and milk.
Apart from poor diet consideration, the nurses should also conduct a series of examination to fill out all points of the medical record. For instance, the nurses should check whether anemia is the result of blood loss. It is essential to find out whether the patient participated in blood donation. Further, decrease in red blood cell could also be provoked by other reasons, such as use of inflammatory drugs (“What Causes Anemia?”, 2014). Due to the fact that patient used medication to treat asthma, these drugs should also be checked for safety.
Lack of cell production can lead to the development of anemia. Conditions related to these reasons include sickle cell anemia, vibration deficiency, or stem cell problems. All these factors should be examined with greater attention to define the final diagnosis or to exclude the version of a poor diet. Additionally, the patient should evaluate the nutrition and check whether she had problems with menstruation, which is another potential reason for the decrease in red blood cells reproduction. With regard to the defined anemia, the first stage in treatment will be the development of new diet that would include higher percentage of iron and other necessary minerals needed for supporting normal life.