NURS 6521 Week 9 Assignment - Women’s and Men’s Health, Infectious Disease, and Hematologic Disorders

Patient Health Needs and Treatment Regimen The patient, in this case, is an elderly 68-year-old male who has a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia (HLD), and diabetes. He presents with community-acquired pneumonia, which is an infection in the lungs caused by a bacterium (S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, or Mycoplasma pneumoniae) or respiratory virus resulting in inflammatory changes and damage to the lungs (Leik, 2020). He is currently being treated with antibiotics, is unable to tolerate a diet, and has had recent complaints of nausea and vomiting. Because the patient has multiple comorbid diseases, combination antibiotic therapy is recommended. A β-lactam, such as Amoxicillin-Clavulanate, Cefpodoxime, or Cefuroxime, should be used in combination with a macrolide, such as Azithromycin or Clarithromycin, or Doxycycline. A respiratory fluoroquinolone, such as Levofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, or Gemifloxacin, would be used for monotherapy. Compared to monotherapy, patients with atypical microorganisms had a greater chance of being clinically stable after seven days of being treated with combination therapy (Garin, n.d.). This is due to the combination therapy’s extension of its range of action against resistant bacteria. This patient should be monitored with a chest x-ray and lab work (CBC) to ensure the infection is cleared up. To alleviate the patient’s symptoms of nausea and vomiting, I would recommend an antiemetic, such as Ondansetron, to inhibit the action of serotonin. For the management of COPD, I would recommend a long-term muscarinic antagonist, such as Tiotropium Bromide, combined with a short-acting beta2-agonist, such as Albuterol, for PRN relief to relax the airways and reduce the patient’s work of breathing. An ACE inhibitor, such as Lisinopril, would be recommended to lower the patient’s blood pressure and relax the blood vessels. Recommended management of diabetes would include Metformin, as it improves insulin sensitivity, reduces the amount of glucose absorbed from the intestines, and decreases the amount of glucose that is made in the liver (D, n.d.). Patient Education Strategy To prevent frequent hospital visits and the reoccurrence or worsening of diseases, the patient must be thoroughly educated and actively participate in their treatment. The patient should be assessed for any barriers to learning, such as language barriers and inability to read, and education strategies should be implemented accordingly. Written, audio, or visual instructions should be provided to the patient. Use simple layman’s terms instead of medical jargon when providing education. The patient needs to be aware of his or her medical/health condition and when to seek additional medical care. The patient should be educated on their treatment plan and the importance of adherence and taking their medication as prescribed. Nutritional guidance may be needed. Patients should also be educated on symptom management and their disease processes. References D. (n.d.). Metformin. Garin, N. (n.d.). Beta-lactam monotherapy vs. beta-lactam and macrolide combination therapy in community-acquired pneumonia. Wiki Journal Club. and_Macrolide_Combination_Therapy_in_Community-Acquired_Pneumonia Leik, M. T. C. (2020). Family nurse practitioner certification intensive review, fourth edition. Springer Publishing.