Question

A 78-year-old female patient is admitted to hospital because of atrial fibrillation (rapid heartbeat). She has a history of recent falls, suffers from COPD, and has hypertension. After her morning shower on the second day of her admission, she was more short of breath than usual, and by lunchtime did not have much of an appetite. The Student Nurse has come to do her 2pm vital signs. She has increased respirations and her heart rate is rapid. The consultant is called and prescribes supplemental oxygen through a nasal cannula and a strong steroid inhaler.

a) Use the data recorded in the Vital signs chart (Appendix 3) to complete the 2 and 4 th columns of the Summary Table below at the times stated. Remember to include units for each Physiological reading.
b) Use the vital signs chart directly or the NEWS scoring grid on page 72 of the Mathematics for Medics learning materials to Score each vital sign (in columns 3 and 5 of the summary Table) and display the total NEWS value.
c) Based on the total NEWS values, explain how the action that the nurse would have to take at 06:00am differs from the action required at 14:00pm.

Answer 1

The patient's vital signs suggest a worsening of her condition, leading to the prescription of supplemental oxygen and a steroid inhaler. The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) would assess the severity of her condition and dictate the nursing actions required at different times, which may vary due to changes in her vital signs.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the clinical scenario provided, the 78-year-old female patient shows signs of disease through her vital signs, which include an elevated heart rate, increased respirations, and a lack of appetite. Vital signs are crucial to measuring the body's basic functions and can indicate disease when there are significant deviations from the normal range. In response to her condition, the consultant prescribes supplemental oxygen and a steroid inhaler to manage her atrial fibrillation and COPD.

The National Early Warning Score (NEWS) would be utilized to assess the severity of the patient's condition at 06:00am and 14:00pm based on the vital signs recorded. A higher NEWS value would typically indicate a more severe condition, potentially requiring more urgent medical intervention. The actions taken by the nurse would differ based on the NEWS value, which is calculated by assigning points to deviations in vital signs from the normal range.