Module 01 Case Study – Complications Associated with the Urinary System

Purpose

To use critical thinking and data collection to recognize and report complications that may impact the morbidity and mortality of clients experiencing alterations of the urinary system.

Course Competency

Select appropriate nursing interventions for clients with disorders of the urinary system

Instructions

You are an LPN working on a medical-surgical floor in a team that consists of an RN and a medical assistant. Read through some of the chart entries over a 48-hour period and answer the questions at the end. Please make sure you cite any sources using APA format. You will find

when there is a major clue.

0130: Admission nurses note (RN): Client arrived via EMS from long-term-care for evaluation of “low blood sugar.” Pt. arrived confused (alert and oriented X 1) and is a known diabetic. Finger stick was 45. Orange juice and crackers given repeat finger stick 104. Pt now alert and oriented X 4. Report from the charge nurse at the long-term-care facility indicates that the client has been having frequent bouts of hypoglycemia.

0530: (RN) Foley catheter inserted for incontinence- pt. “too weak” to get up to the bathroom and is experiencing bouts of incontinence.

600 mL clear yellow urine noted. The nurse indicates that the ER is “very busy” and “short-staffed”0545 (Admitting Physician) See history and physical. Pt. admitted to the medical-surgical service for evaluation of recurrent hypoglycemia.

View the ER chart before the pt. is transferred to the floor:

0730: (RN) Report is given to RN on 3 North.

Emergency Department Chart

Client: Mabel Simpson

DOB: 4/23/1941

Admission Date 8/16/2019

Medical Diagnosis: recurrent hypoglycemia

Allergies: None

Vitals/ Data Collection	History	Medications	Allergies
Temp.- 97.3 PO	Diabetes (insulin dependent)	Insulin R titrated to finger sticks	None
Pulse- 68	Hypertension	Furosemide 20 MG twice per day
Respirations- 18	Atrial Fibrillation	Warfarin 5 Mg Mon, Wed, Fri 2 Mg Tues, Thurs
Blood Pressure- 122/86	Rheumatoid Arthritis	Enalapril 5 Mg once per day
No C/O pain	Mild Heart Failure (class 1)	Proventil inhaler as needed for wheezing
Alert and oriented X 4	Former Smoker- smoked 1 pack per day X 40 years- last smoked 10 years ago	Methotrexate 2.5 Mg per day
Lungs: No adventitious sounds	Appendectomy as a child	Tylenol 650 Mg as needed for pain or fever
+ Bowel sounds	Mobility (baseline): able to ambulate slowly with minimal assist
Clear yellow urine draining from Foley catheter in adequate amts.

8/16/2019
10:00: (RN) Pt received on 3 North. Alert and oriented X 4. Fingerstick 81. Eating breakfast. Offering no complaints.

8/17/2019 (Medical Assistant)
0130: Sleeping Soundly

0700: (LPN) alert and oriented Finger stick 124. Offering no complaints. Medications given as ordered. Foley catheter draining cloudy yellow urine- RN notified.

1100: (Case Manager note): Pt. alert and oriented. Blood sugar stable. Will speak to the physician about discharge tomorrow morning.

1300: (Physical Therapy): Ambulated to the hallway 200 feet. Ambulates slowly- baseline as per long-term-care facility charge nurse. Recommend physical therapy after discharge, however, ambulated well enough for discharge.

1600: (LPN) Pt found to be confused (alert and oriented X 1). RN notified. Fingerstick 130. Vitals 97.5 (axillary), 110, 24, 98/64

1800: (Medical assistant) 400 cc’s emptied from catheter bag.

0100: (RN) Pt confused and combative. Attempting to pull out her IV and repeatedly removing her gown. Pt’s physician was paged- ordered Lorazepam 1 MG IM. Medicated as ordered and slept the remainder of the night with no incident.

0700: (RN) Pt awake and alert but combative. Finger stick-124. Vitals: 98.9 (axillary), 116, 28, 90/55

1730: (LPN) Unable to administer medication. Pt appears extremely confused. RN notified.

1200: (LPN) Pt’s daughter at bedside. Daughter indicates that her mother is not normally confused and is concerned that she may have had a stroke and notes that her mom feels “very warm.”

RN notified. Foley catheter draining cloudy urine.

1230: (Medical Assistant) Vital signs: T 103.6 (rectal)

, P=130, BP=84/43, resp rate=28

1300: (RN) Rapid response called (because of the change in condition) and client transferred to the ICU.

Update: The client spent 3 days in the ICU but unfortunately did not recover.

Please answer the following questions:

1. Why did this client become confused and combative? (5-10 sentences)
2. What pivotal decision made in the ER directly caused this client’s worsening condition? (1-2 sentences)
3. What type of incontinence did this client have? Explain your answer. (5-10 sentences)
4. What factors in the client’s medical history contributed to the client’s change in condition? (5-10 sentences)
5. How did communication (or lack thereof) contribute to the poor outcome for this client? (5-10 sentences)

Format

• Standard American English (correct grammar, punctuation, etc.)
• Logical, original and insightful
• Professional organization, style, and mechanics in APA format
• Submit document through Grammarly to correct errors before submission

Resources

APA Online Guide