Asthma

Complications of asthma can be sudden. Consider the case of Bradley Wilson, a young boy who had several medical conditions. He appeared in good health when he went to school, returned home, and ate dinner. However, when he later went outside to play, he came back inside wheezing. An ambulance took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead (Briscoe, 2012). In another case, 10-year-old Dynasty Reese, who had mild asthma, woke up in the middle of the night and ran to her grandfather’s bedroom to tell him she couldn’t breathe. By the time paramedics arrived, she had passed out and was pronounced dead at the hospital (Glissman, 2012). These situations continue to outline the importance of recognizing symptoms of asthma and providing immediate treatment, as well as distinguishing minor symptoms from serious, life-threatening symptoms. Since these symptoms and attacks are often induced by a trigger, as an advanced practice nurse, you must be able to help patients identify their triggers and recommend appropriate treatment options. For this reason, you need to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation.
To prepare:
• Review “Asthma” in Chapter 26 of the Huether and McCance text. Identify the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation. Consider how these disorders are similar and different.
• Select a patient factor different from the one you selected in this week’s Discussion: genetics, gender, ethnicity, age, or behavior. Think about how the factor you selected might impact the pathophysiology of both disorders. Reflect on how you would diagnose and prescribe treatment of these disorders for a patient based on the factor you selected.
• Review the “Mind maps—Dementia, Endocarditis, and Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)” media in the Week 2 Learning Resources. Use the examples in the media as a guide to construct two mind maps—one for chronic asthma and one for acute asthma exacerbation. Consider the epidemiology and clinical presentation of both chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation.
To complete:
Write a 2- to 3-page paper that addresses the following:
• Describe the pathophysiological mechanisms of chronic asthma and acute asthma exacerbation. Be sure to explain the changes in the arterial blood gas patterns during an exacerbation.
• Explain how the factor you selected might impact the pathophysiology of both disorders. Describe how you would diagnose and prescribe treatment for a patient based on the factor you selected.
• Construct two mind maps—one for chronic asthma and one for acute asthma exacerbation. Include the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical presentation, as well as the diagnosis and treatment you explained in your paper.
This Assignment is due by Day 7 of Week 6.
Note: The School of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htm). All papers submitted must use this formatting.
Reference:
Briscoe, K. (2012, May 12). Thetford: mother of Bradley Wilson, who died of asthma attack, told there was nothing she could have done. East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved fromhttp://www.eadt.co.uk/news/thetford_mother_of_bradley_wilson_who_died_of_asthma_attack_told_there_was_nothing_she_could_have_done_1_13751

Introduction:

As an advanced practice nurse, it is important to diagnose, treat, and evaluate patients who have chronic disease. A nurse must understand how pathology, treatment, regimens, and psycho-social issues affect patients and the care they receive. Disease management is more than just monitoring a medication or treatment; it is evaluating the disease process from the micro to macro level. As a nurse with an advanced degree, you will be expected to assess patients and individual and population responses to chronic illness.

For this assessment, you will investigate pathopharmacological issues related to a specific disease process. You may choose to investigate traumatic brain injury, depression, obesity, asthma, or heart disease. As part of this assessment, you will analyze the various impacts the disease process has on the patients, their families, and populations at a local, national, and international level.

Requirements:

A.  Investigate one of the following disease processes: traumatic brain injury, depression, obesity, asthma, or heart disease.

1.  Analyze the pathophysiology of the disease process you selected in part A.

2.  Discuss the standard of practice for the selected disease process.

a.  Discuss the evidence-based pharmacological treatments in your state and how they affect management of the selected disease in your community.

b.  Discuss clinical guidelines for assessment, diagnosis, and patient education for the selected disease process.

c.  Compare the standard practice for managing the disease within your community with state or national practices.

3.  Discuss characteristics of and resources for a patient who manages the selected disease well, including access to care, treatment options, life expectancy, and outcomes.

a.  Analyze disparities between management of the selected disease on a national and international level.

4.  Discuss three or four factors (e.g., financial resources, access to care, insured/uninsured, Medicare/Medicaid) that contribute to a patient being able to manage the selected disease

a.  Explain how a lack of the factors discussed in part A4 leads to an unmanaged disease process.

i.  Describe characteristics of a patient with the selected disease that is unmanaged.

B.  Analyze how the selected disease process affects patients, families, and populations in your community.

1.  Discuss the financial costs associated with the selected disease process for patients, families, and populations from diagnosis to treatment.

C.  Discuss how you will promote best practices for managing the selected disease in your current healthcare organization.

1.  Discuss three strategies you could use to implement best practices for managing the selected disease in your current healthcare organization.

2.  Discuss an appropriate method to evaluate the implementation of each of the strategies from part C1.

D.  When you use sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Note: For definitions of terms commonly used in the rubric, see the Rubric Terms web link included in the Evaluation Procedures section.

Note: When using sources to support ideas and elements in an assessment, the submission MUST include APA formatted in-text citations with a corresponding reference list for any direct quotes or paraphrasing. It is not necessary to list sources that were consulted if they have not been quoted or paraphrased in the text of the assessment.

Note: No more than a combined total of 30% of a submission can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from outside sources, even if cited correctly. For tips on using APA style, please refer to the APA Handout web link included in the APA Guidelines section.