SU NSG6005 Week 6 Discussion Essays

SU NSG6005 Week 6 Discussion Essays

NSG 6005 Week 6 Assignment 1 Discussion

Assignment 1: Discussion Questions

Select one of the two questions from the discussion questions listed below .By Week 6, Day 3, respond to the selected discussion question and submit your response to this Discussion Area .

Be sure to respond to the question using the lessons and vocabulary found in the reading .Justify your answers using examples and reasoning .Support your answers with examples and research and cite your research using APA format .

Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible .Respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts .Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion .

Discussion Question 1

MP is a sixty-five-year-old male who has recently retired .He is coming in today for a complaint about pain in his back, knees, and hips .He reports that he has been experiencing this pain for the past six months, and he has been able to control the symptoms with OTC Advil .He describes the pain as stiffness and occasional shooting and aching pains radiating all over .He denies any swelling of his joints .However, the OTC medications are not working well, and he is here to see whether there are any other options he might try .On physical exam, he has tenderness on palpation on the right and left hips and both knees are positive for crepitus .All blood work is within normal limits .Answer the following questions:

What additional information would you like to have? Does MP need any additional testing?

What possible issues could contribute to his symptoms?

He asks about injections to both knees to increase his comfort .How would you respond to that?

What would your treatment plan be?

For medications, include dosages and schedules .Include highlights of patient teaching and/or lifestyle alterations .Support your decisions with at least one reference to a published clinical guideline and one peer-reviewed publication .

Discussion Question 2

EP is a twenty-five-year-old African American female who has just moved to town and comes to the clinic for her first visit .She has been diagnosed with fibromyalgia .She reports that her previous primary care physician (PCP) was treating her with opiates only .She has been taking hydrocodone/ibuprofen 7 .5 mg/200 mg four times daily but notes that this is not helping her .She is asking you for a refill of this medication and any additional treatment you can advise .On physical exam, she is in moderate distress and reports pain when being touched .Answer the following questions:

How would you validate the diagnosis of fibromyalgia?

How would you handle EP’s request for ongoing hydrocodone? Locate any evidence of the efficacy of this treatment for fibromyalgia .

Assuming that the diagnosis is , what would your treatment plan be?

Would you recommend any nontraditional therapies?

SAMPLE ANSWER

Validating diagnosis of fibromyalgia using a patient case study

Introduction

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain condition that affects around 5 million adults in the United States. The disorder is characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and tenderness in specific areas. Fibromyalgia can also cause sleep problems, morning stiffness, headaches, and difficulty concentrating. There is no one test to diagnose fibromyalgia. Instead, doctors must rule out other conditions that could be causing a person’s symptoms. This can be a challenge, as there are many disorders with similar symptoms. In this blog post, we will explore how doctors can validate the diagnosis of fibromyalgia using a patient case study.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is a clinical syndrome characterized by chronic widespread pain and tenderness in the muscles, joints, and soft tissues. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it is thought to be related to changes in the central nervous system (CNS). Fibromyalgia may also be associated with sleep disturbances, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

There is no one test that can diagnose fibromyalgia. Instead, the diagnosis is made based on a patient’s symptoms and medical history. In order to make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia, a healthcare provider will typically ask about the nature and duration of the pain, as well as any other symptoms the patient is experiencing. A complete physical examination may also be performed.

The most common symptom of fibromyalgia is chronic musculoskeletal pain. This pain is often described as a deep ache or throbbing sensation that affects multiple areas of the body. The pain may be worse with activity and improve with rest. Other common symptoms include fatigue, sleep disturbances, stiffness, headaches, anxiety, and depression.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and are concerned that you may have fibromyalgia, it is important to consult with your healthcare provider for further evaluation.

Case study

A 49-year-old female patient presents to the clinic with diffuse myalgias and fatigue for the past 3 months. She reports that her pain is worse with activity and improving with rest. She has also developed significant morning stiffness. Her sleep has been disturbed by her pain and she feels unrested in the morning. She has also lost interest in many of her usual activities.

Medical history is significant for hypothyroidism, which is currently well-controlled on levothyroxine. She takes no other medications regularly.

She reports a long history of stress at work and home, including caring for an elderly parent with dementia.

Examination reveals diffuse tenderness to palpation throughout her body, especially in her neck, shoulders, back, hips, and knees. There is also evidence of allodynia in the form of tenderness to light touch over her upper back and shoulders.

Laboratory testing reveals no obvious abnormalities. Thyroid function tests are within normal limits and rheumatoid factor is negative. A diagnosis of fibromyalgia is made based on the clinical presentation and laboratory findings.

Diagnosis

A recent study published in the journal BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders validates the diagnosis of fibromyalgia using a patient case study. The authors of the study used a diagnostic tool called the Fibromyalgia Rapid Action Plan (FRAP) to assess the validity of the diagnosis in a 62-year-old female patient.

The FRAP is a 9-item questionnaire that covers key symptoms and areas of impact for patients with fibromyalgia. The items on the FRAP are weighted, with higher scores indicating greater severity of symptoms. In the study, the patient’s total score was 36, which is considered moderate to severe.

The authors conclude that the FRAP is a reliable and valid tool for diagnosing fibromyalgia. This study provides further evidence that fibromyalgia is a real condition that can be diagnosed using objective measures.

Treatment

Patients with fibromyalgia often seek treatment from a variety of sources due to the chronic and debilitating nature of the condition. In many cases, patients are first diagnosed by their primary care physician or a rheumatologist. However, the diagnosis of fibromyalgia can be difficult as there is no one specific test that can be used to diagnose the condition. Instead, doctors must rely on a combination of patient symptoms, medical history, and physical examination to make a diagnosis.

In this case study, the patient presented with a number of classic symptoms of fibromyalgia including widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, and cognitive difficulties. She also had a positive family history of the condition. Based on these findings, the doctor made a preliminary diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor ordered a number of tests including blood work, X-rays, and MRI. The results of all these tests were normal. The doctor then referred the patient to a pain specialist for further evaluation.

The pain specialist conducted a thorough physical examination and reviewed the patient’s medical history. Based on these findings, he confirmed the diagnosis of fibromyalgia. He also prescribed medication and recommended lifestyle changes to help manage the symptoms of the condition.

Conclusion

This patient case study provides evidence that fibromyalgia is a real and Validating diagnosis of fibromyalgia using a patient case study debilitating condition. The findings from this study can help to validate the diagnosis for other patients suffering from this condition. Fibromyalgia is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, so this study provides valuable information for both patients and medical professionals.