What Would You Do? – A 70-year-old Male Client Presented to his Primary Care Physician with Complaints of Blurred Vision and Headaches
Actions Taken by the Nurse
When assessing Mr. B’s situation, I will consider the following steps: Assess and address his concerns and fears. I will take the time to listen to his concerns about the medication and his recent fall. I will also explain the importance of taking the medication to manage his elevated blood pressure and the potential consequences of not taking the medication (Najjuma et al., 2020). The next action is providing information and education: I will educate him about his medications, their side effects, and what to do if they occur. I will also provide information about ways to reduce the risk of falls, such as exercising regularly, wearing shoes with non-slip soles, and installing grab bars in the bathroom. The next thing is to collaborate with the healthcare team: I will communicate his concerns and refusal to restart the medication to the primary care physician and cardiologist to ensure they are aware of the situation. I will also discuss the problem with the healthcare team to determine the best action (Najjuma et al., 2020). Finally, I will consider alternative treatments: if Mr. B remains hesitant to restart the medication, I will discuss alternative treatment options with the healthcare team, such as adjusting the dose or switching to a different medication. Do you need urgent assignment help ? Get in touch with us at eminencepapers.com.
Prevention of Patient’s Fall
The healthcare group would have taken several actions to the patient’s fall. To begin with, the healthcare team should have assessed Mr. B’s fall risk and taken appropriate measures to reduce it. This could include a review of his medications, an assessment of his physical and mental status, and an assessment of his home environment. Next, the healthcare team should have monitored Mr. B for any side effects of his medications, such as hypotension and dizziness, which can increase the risk of falls. Moreover, the healthcare team should have considered adjusting the medication regimen if Mr. B was experiencing side effects that increased his fall risk (Frith et al., 2019). Lastly, the healthcare team should have provided Mr. B with information and resources to help him reduce his fall risks, such as exercises to improve balance and strength and information on how to make his home safer.
References
Frith, K. H., Hunter, A. N., Coffey, S. S., & Khan, Z. (2019). A longitudinal fall prevention study for older adults. The journal for nurse practitioners, 15(4), 295-300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2018.10.012.
Najjuma, J. N., Brennaman, L., Nabirye, R. C., Ssedyabane, F., Maling, S., Bajunirwe, F., & Muhindo, R. (2020). Adherence to antihypertensive medication: an interview analysis of Southwest Ugandan patients’ perspectives. Annals of Global Health, 86(1). https://doi.org/10.5334%2Faogh.2904.
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Question
Consider the scenario below, then follow the instructions underneath it to complete the discussion. If appropriate, support your position with credible resources/examples/evidence and provide APA references.
Mr. B
Mr B, a 70-year-old male client, presented to his primary care physician with complaints of blurred vision and headaches over the last two months. On several visits, Mr. B’s blood pressure was found to be elevated, so the physician started him on hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg by mouth daily. One month later, Mr. B began to have chest pains and shortness of breath, so his primary care provider referred Mr. B to a cardiologist for further evaluation.
The cardiologist ordered an echocardiogram and stress test which revealed heart enlargement and a reduced ejection fraction (volume of blood pumped out of the heart per minute). As a result, the cardiologist started Mr. B on a beta-blocker (metoprolol 25 mg by mouth daily).
A few days after taking the new medication (in addition to the hydrochlorothiazide ordered by the primary physician), Mr B suffered a fall at home. Upon arrival at the emergency room, Mr. B’s blood pressure was 80/50. The emergency room physician suspected the cause of Mr B’s fall was hypotension secondary to the medications he was taking. The ER physician recommended that Mr. B follow up with his primary care physician and cardiologist, but hold the medication until seen by them.
As recommended, Mr. B visits his primary care physician for a follow-up. During the visit, Mr. B’s blood pressure was found to be elevated (160/90), so his physician told him to restart taking his blood pressure medication.
Imagine that you are the nurse attending to Mr. B and that he indicates that he’s afraid to restart the medication because of his recent fall.
What considerations/actions should the nurse make regarding the client’s refusal to restart his blood pressure medication?
What considerations/actions would have helped the healthcare team to prevent the client’s fall?