FSU Components That Play Into Womens Health Discussion Reply

Please respond to discussion below using current APA edition and 2 scholarly references. Must be 150 words.

Challenges for this clinical week include determining the number of weeks gestation that a woman is based on the ultrasound images as well as successfully measuring the parietal bones on the machine. Successes include checking for the fetal heart rate with the doppler and effectively communicating with each patient.

Assessment of the patient, signs/symptoms, and plan of care

This week I had a 36-year-old patient come in sharp pain in her pelvic region and left ovary. She reported that she was seen by a previous doctor years ago who told her she had cysts. She also reported very heavy menstrual cycles but states the sharp and dull pain on her left ovary only occurs during ovulation. Signs and symptoms include bloating and lower abdominal tenderness. I assessed the patient with the doctor and noted bloating with tender areas. Plan of care for this patient includes ultrasound. After reviewing the ultrasound images, two cysts on the ovary were noted. The doctor prescribed a trial of birth control pills to wait and see if symptoms resolve and if she is still experiencing issues then to come back to discuss further interventions.

Differential Diagnosis

Differential diagnosis for this patient includes pelvic inflammatory disease, endometriosis, and tubo-ovarian abscess. Pelvic inflammatory disease can be considered a differential diagnosis because it results in abdominal pain, pain while urinating, and overall discomfort. Endometriosis can result in severe pelvic pain, painful menstruation, and bleeding. It can cause issues like cysts. Tubo-ovarian abscess is a mass or abscess that can result from an infection and is often caused by pelvic inflammatory disease. These diagnoses all have similarities that can mimic each other (Mobeen & Apostol, 2023).

Health promotion

Health promotion interventions for this patient include watchful waiting because a lot of these cysts go away without treatment. Other interventions are to monitor symptoms whether and repeating the pelvic ultrasound. Keeping up with the flow of menstrual cycles is very important. Other interventions include dietary changes and exercise and stretching. Individuals who have ovarian cysts also use either prescribed pain medication or over the counter relief. Home remedies can also be effective depending on the individual. Some cysts can be removed if warranted by the doctor by minimally invasive surgeries. Lifestyle factors such as smoking cessation can also be helpful. Hormonal pills can also play a part in regulating hormones (Albers et al., 2020).

Clinical Experience

This week I learned more about the components that play into women’s health. I am learning more about pelvic examinations and obtaining a complete history. We also assessed a cesarean section scar for a patient who was six weeks postpartum and the doctor and the importance in assessing these scars. It is essential to look at these scars to see the progression and determine any potential risks of infections. Learning these issues is pertinent to my career as an advanced practice nurse because I will most likely encounter these patients in my field, and it is so essential to know and understand how to treat them. A female patient may come in to be seen and as providers we must know