Sample Answer for NUR-635 Topic 1 DQ 2 Included After Question
Based on the first letter of your last name, complete the case to which you are assigned:
If your last name starts with A through J: Case 1 Pediatric.
If your last name starts with K through S: Case 2 Geriatric.
If your last name starts with T through Z: Case 3 Pregnancy.
Case 1 Pediatric
The mother of a 43 lb. five-year-old boy is concerned that her child has a low-grade fever but is unable to get to the drug store to pick up ibuprofen. The mom wants to know if aspirin is okay to use for her child. Use the guidelines and relevant literature in your topic Resources to discuss the following:
Can aspirin be a safe and efficacious treatment option? Explain your rationale.
Based on the guidelines in the topic Resources, what information would you present to the mom to ensure safest efficacious drug regimen?
Case 2 Geriatric
Fred, a 79-year-old male, is having trouble sleeping, and his son tells him of a drug called Ativan that has helped him sleep. Fred wants to know if Ativan is a good option for his sleep disorder. Use the guidelines and relevant literature in your topic Resources to discuss the following:
Can Ativan be a safe and efficacious treatment option? Explain your rationale.
Based on the guidelines in the topic Resources, what is a strong non-pharmacologic approach for the treatment of insomnia? Include the components of therapy.
Case 3 Pregnancy
Kim is a 29-year-old pregnant female in her last trimester. She is suffering from a urinary tract infection. For urinary tract infections prior to being pregnant, she has been prescribed nitrofurantoin. She currently has leftover pills from her last prescription. Kim would like to know if it is okay to use this to start treatment. Use the guidelines and relevant literature in your topic Resources to discuss the following:
What is the Pregnancy Category of nitrofurantoin?
Can nitrofurantoin be a safe and efficacious treatment option? Explain your rationale.
Based on the committee opinion in the topic Resources, what do you recommend as a safer alternative? Be sure to include the dose, frequency, and duration with your recommendation.
Participate in follow-up discussion by reviewing the case discussed by classmates that is different than the one assigned to you.
American Association of Colleges of Nursing Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Education
This assignment aligns to AACN Core Competencies 1.2, 2.2, 2.5. 4.2, 6.4, 9.2
A Sample Answer For the Assignment: NUR-635 Topic 1 DQ 2
Title: NUR-635 Topic 1 DQ 2
Case 1 Pediatric
The mother of a 43 lb.. five-year-old boy is concerned that her child has a low-grade fever but cannot get to the drug store to pick up ibuprofen. The mom wants to know if aspirin is okay for her child. Use the guidelines and relevant literature in your topic Resources to discuss the following:
Can aspirin be a safe and productive treatment option? Explain your rationale.
Based on the guidelines in the topic Resources, what information would you present to the mom to ensure the safest, most efficacious drug regimen?
The literature states that administering salicylate acids like aspirin and administration to children is contraindicated due to the history of influenza and chickenpox. Children develop what is known as Reyes Syndrome. In addition, the syndrome is rare. If given to younger than 18 y/o, there is a high risk for a mortality rate of 20-30% (Rosenthal & Burchum, J. R. 2020). Moreover, the acid-base disturbance results from the effects of using ASA on the respiratory system, causing CNS to stimulate breathing and, therefore, increase CO2 loss, producing respiratory alkalosis.
Information for the safest efficacious drug regimen is to educate on the child’s comfort and explain in detail what a true fever is and why a fever does not necessarily represent the severity of the illness. Furthermore, I would focus on the child’s comfort and not the fever as the culprit for the problem.
References
McCance, K. L., & Huether, S. E. (2018). Pathophysiology – e-book (8th ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2020). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants – e-book (2nd ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.
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Aspirin should not be used in patients under the age of 16 due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome. A causal link between aspirin and Reye’s syndrome has not been proved nor are the exact causes of Reye’s syndrome fully understood (Macdonald, 2002). Reye’s syndrome is a rare disorder that is primarily a children’s disease, but it can occur at any age. Reye’s syndrome is a two-phase illness that typically occurs during the recovery phase of a viral infection. Typical onset is three to five days after the viral infection. Reye’s syndrome affects all organs of the body. It does the most damage to the brain and the liver causing increased intracranial pressure and massive accumulations of fat in the liver which may lead to liver failure. There is no cure for Reye’s syndrome and treatment is aimed at preventing brain damage. Some patients recover completely while others may sustain varying degrees of brain damage (NIH, n.d.)
NIH. (n.d.). Reye’s Syndrome. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Retrieved on September 5, 2023, from https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/reyes-syndrome.
Macdonald, S. (2002). Aspirin use to be banned in under 16 year olds. British Medical Journal, 325(7371), 988. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.325.7371.988/c
