On the second postoperative day you enter the room and find Mrs. Johnson crying. She states that she has just gotten off the phone with her 23-year-old daughter and has agreed to care for her 3-month-old granddaughter while the daughter returns to work. You were informed in shift report that Mrs. Johnson had a restless … Read more

As a part of your home care experience, you are assigned to visit Mrs. Johnson who, in addition to caring for her infant granddaughter, is also caring for her mother, who is increasingly agitated and aggressive secondary to Alzheimer’s disease. When you go to the home, you find Mrs. Johnson tearful. She says, “I can’t … Read more

Jose continues to regularly visit the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) clinic. The nurse wants to incorporate a spiritual assessment with the physical assessment. During the assessment the nurse asks Jose if he has any questions. Jose asks her about a Buddhist ritual that he heard about from a friend. The nurse has … Read more

Carl is admitted to the hospital with a fractured hip sustained from a fall when he got up during the night to check on Evelyn who was wandering in the house. Before his injury he cared for Evelyn, who suffers from advancing Alzheimer’s disease. While he is hospitalized, Evelyn stays with a niece who lives … Read more

Mrs. Smith has experienced some success in initiating an exercise program. However, maintaining her exercise plan is becoming challenging, and she is not seeing the improvements that she expects. She states, “I feel like I’m doing everything right, but I’m getting few results for my efforts.”   ·         Mrs. Smith states, “I don’t want to … Read more

Forty-eight hours after admission to the hospital, Mr. Edwards had abnormal lung sounds (crackles) in the left base and both upper lobes. His vital signs were as follows: temperature, 102.4° F (39.1° C); blood pressure, 140/92 mm Hg; pulse, 110 beats/min; respirations, 32 breaths/min; and SpO2, 82%. He could not lie flat, and it was … Read more

Mrs. Hilda Beck is a 72-year-old seen by her health care provider this morning after falling at home because she became light-headed after vomiting and having diarrhea that has lasted over 24 hours. She was admitted for oral and intravenous (IV) fluid therapy.   ·         Why is Mrs. Beck likely becoming light-headed? When should you … Read more

Julie returns to the neighborhood health clinic with her husband, David, for a follow-up visit. She tells you that since she started her sleep hygiene plan she feels more rested but is still having some problems sleeping because of her husband’s loud snoring. Besides Julie’s report of David’s snoring, you note that he is overweight. … Read more

After three doses (0.5 mg each) of morphine from the patient controlled analgesia (PCA) device, Mrs. Mays started vomiting and stated that she was feeling “out of her head.” She rated her chest pain as 3 on a scale of 0 to 10. She is breathing comfortably on 2 L of nasal cannula oxygen, and … Read more

A few days after Javier, the home care nurse, visited Larry in his home, Larry became nauseous, bloated, and had abdominal pain. He took an over-the-counter laxative and went to bed. Around 2:00 AM Larry woke with severe abdominal pain. He noticed that his belly was larger than normal, hard, and painful to touch. He … Read more