Author Archives: Academic Wizard

Hospice & Palliative Care

Directions: Based on the information given in the case study, formulate a conclusion based on your evaluation and complete the Critical Thinking assignment as instructed below.

It is necessary for an RN-BSN-prepared nurse to demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the complex management of disease, the clinical manifestations and associated treatment protocols, and how they impact patients across the life span. The purpose of this assignment is to navigate patient needs associated with cognitive and physical decline while demonstrating effective communication and compassionate care.

PART I: Health History and Medical Information

Evaluate the health history and medical information for Timothy Smith, presented below.

Upon discharge from the hospital, Mr. Smith had a successful recovery with home health and outpatient therapy. At the end of his home health journey, Timothy was mobile with a walker and his cognitive abilities had significantly improved. He continued his physical and cognitive therapies to better his mobility on the left leg and address his ongoing PTSD and depression.

After 5 years of successful physical and cognitive therapy, Mr. Smith began to see a decline in his activities of daily living (ADL) and began refusing to attend checkups. At this time, his mother was his primary care giver. She has been diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Mr. Smith’s decline continued to progress. His mother, who was his primary support, passed away, and he does not have a secondary support. He has been dragging his left leg due to decreased mobility, which has led to the development of an infected friction wound on the left foot. After no-showing three appointments with the psychiatrist, Mr. Smith showed up looking disheveled, had a positive drug screen, and seemed to be dealing with his cognition issues outside of the medical field. Due to the accident and decrease in cognition, he isn’t able to comprehend his health needs. Due to immobility and progressive leg weakness, the provider ordered a vascular study of bilateral lower extremities. The study identified thrombus in the left popliteal vein. The patient reports shortness of breath despite no fever, which led to a chest x-ray being completed, showing no noticeable changes.

Laboratory Tests and Vitals: Hospice & Palliative Care

1. Neurocognitive test – Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)

2. Vascular study showed a thrombus in the left popliteal vein.

3. Patient is experiencing shortness of breath despite clear chest x-ray.

4. SpO2: 84% on room air

PART II: Critical Thinking Activity

Use the findings from your evaluation to complete the following:

Clinical Assessment and Interventions

Answer the following questions based on Mr. Smith’s presentation and history.

Discuss the conditions that could be causing Mr. Smith’s shortness of breath given his clear chest x-ray. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Identify possible interventions that would be needed to address Mr. Smith’s shortness of breath. Include the timeframe for each intervention in your discussion. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Prioritize three to five additional interventions that would be needed to address Mr. Smith’s immediate health needs. Your response should be a minimum of 200 words.

Building Rapport Through Respect, Compassion, and Empathy

Establishing caring relationships is vital for the nurse-patient relationship, especially when taking care of patients with complex, chronic needs.

Discuss the steps needed to build rapport and mutual understanding when providing care to Mr. Smith, given his distrust of healthcare providers and his lack of a support system. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Explain the strategies that would be useful when establishing a respectful nurse-patient relationship demonstrating qualities of compassion and empathy. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Effective Communication Hospice & Palliative Care

Caring for patients with complex needs requires the nurse to possess effective communication skills. You are assigned as Mr. Smith’s primary nurse during his most recent hospitalization. Consider Mr. Smith’s most recent assessment findings in addressing the following questions.

When communicating with Mr. Smith, identify which of his values and beliefs would be important to consider to ensure effective communication. Use information from this and previous case studies in this course. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Emotional intelligence helps us maintain an awareness of our own emotions and enables us to effectively interact with others in an empathetic manner. When admitting Mr. Smith to the hospital, how would the nurse demonstrate emotional intelligence in her interactions with him? Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Psychosocial and Spiritual Considerations

Providing holistic nursing care for the patient with complex conditions requires that the nurse take into account the patient’s psychosocial and spiritual needs.

Given the patient’s current situation, discuss ways in which the nurse can take into account and address the patient’s psychosocial and spiritual needs. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Hospice/Palliative Care Management

You are assigned as the nurse case manager for Mr. Smith.

Explain the difference between hospice and palliative care. Based on Mr. Smith’s current assessment findings, discuss the type of care (i.e., palliative, hospice, rehabilitative, etc.) that would be most appropriate for him. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Develop a plan to address Mr. Smith’s needs including living environment, health care needs, mental health needs, and financial resources. In your plan, include a discussion of the type of support Mr. Smith needs now that he no longer has a support system and struggles to comprehend his current health needs and management. Your response should be a minimum of 200 words.

Identify two care team members who you would need to collaborate with in order to ensure effective coordination of care for Mr. Smith. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Community Resources and Support Network

Appropriate resources and a support network are important for Mr. Smith and will be imperative in promoting optimal outcomes.

Discuss the options that are still available to provide assistance to Mr. Smith. Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

Suppose this patient was a part of your community. What community resources are offered to enhance his quality of life? Your response should be a minimum of 150 words.

References (Please include working hyperlinks.)

• What conditions could be causing Mr. Smith’s shortness of breath?,

• What interventions are needed to address his shortness of breath?,

• What additional interventions are needed for his immediate health needs?,

• How can the nurse build rapport with Mr. Smith?,

• What is the difference between hospice and palliative care and which is most appropriate?