Contemporary Nursing Task 1

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Contemporary Nursing Task 1 This paper will describe the actions taken to care for Mrs. Eli Baker, a 73-year-old female, who was transferred to the emergency room after she collapsed in her backyard. A friend who had spoken to her on the phone, just prior to collapse, stated that she felt she was confused and beside herself. Upon arrival to ER, she has dyspnea with an increased respiratory and pulse rate. Mrs. Baker has a history that includes diabetes and hypertension. Her history includes the recent start of a new blood pressure medication: lisinopril (Micromedex, 2013). The other medications Mrs. Baker takes are metformin, to control blood sugar (Micromedex, 2013), and hydrochlorothiazide, to eliminate excess fluid (Micromedex, 2013). When Mrs. Baker arrived in the ER, the nurse was able to ask a few questions but she then became unresponsive with difficulty breathing. The immediate goal of the emergency medical team is to stabilize the patient through restoration of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the ability of the body to maintain stability within its environment by managing external changes (Biology-online, 2013). The Assessment of the Patient The nurse needs to take immediate action since the condition of the patient has changed with unresponsiveness and difficulty breathing. The first action should be an assessment of the patient’s ABC’s. That is the airway, breathing, and circulation. The airway is assessed to see if it is open and unobstructed. Patency of the airway must be maintained. Respirations must be checked to see that Mrs. Baker is breathing adequately. The respiratory rate, pattern and effort required are assessed. Skin color and nail beds are assessed as an indication of oxygenation level. A dusky blue color would indicate poor oxygenation. Lungs should be auscultated with a stethoscope to determine the effectiveness of air exchange. A pulse
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