Class, this week we delve into the topics of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders. At first thought, nausea, diarrhea, or perhaps GERD may come to mind when thinking of disorders in this group, however, there are many more. This week we will be covering these and many other important topics. For example, there are several new treatments being introduced for IBS and Hepatitis C, bringing these disorders into the public eye. As a practitioner, you may begin to encounter more patients with these disorders as public awareness about them increases. Also, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are some of the most common side effects that accompany many drug treatments, so awareness of how to mitigate this is crucial in learning about pharmacology.
This week you will be asked to write a one page paper where you propose a diagnosis for a patient based off a limited amount of data. The scenario is below. I understand if you are hesitant to make a conclusive diagnosis based on the data you are given, so discuss possible diagnoses. Also, discuss how you would assess the patient clinically, and how you would treat them if your supposed diagnosis was correct.
Case for Week 4:
Patient HL comes into the clinic with the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The patient has a history of drug abuse and possible Hepatitis C. HL is currently taking the following prescription drugs:
Synthroid 100 mcg daily
Nifedipine 30 mg daily
Prednisone 10 mg daily
Write a 1-page paper that addresses the following:
- Explain your diagnosis for the patient, including your rationale for the diagnosis.
- Describe an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.
- Justify why you would recommend this drug therapy plan for this patient. Be specific and provide examples.
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 offers an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
