Running head: CASE STUDY: MR. M. 1
Case Study: Mr. M.
Grand Canyon University
NRS-410 V
, CASE STUDY: MR. M. 2
Case Study: Mr. M.
Delerium in patient’s with dementia is a frequent issue that can have life-threatening
implications when left untreated or unidentified (Fick & Mion, 2018). Acute mental status
changes in the elderly who are already diagnosed with dementia are often overlooked or blamed
on sundowning, a common phenomena in patients with dementia. Delerium can lead to poor
patient outcomes, longer hospitalizations and increased reduction in both physical and cognitive
function (Fick & Mion, 2018). Delirium is often the sign of preventable and treatable conditions
such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, dehydration or pain. Commonly prescribed
medications such as diphenhydramine, benzodiazepines, anti-depressants, sedatives, and anti-
psychotics can also cause delirium (Fick & Mion, 2018). For the purpose of this essay, the
following case study will be considered:
Mr. M. is a 70-year-old male who has been residing at an assisted living facility. He has
limited physical activity due to difficulty ambulating and an unsteady gait. He is a non-smoker
and does not consume alcohol. His medical history includes hypertension (HTN), elevated
cholesterol, appendectomy and post tibial fracture with surgical repair. He has no known
allergies. Mr. M. is currently prescribed Lisinopril 20 mg daily, Lipitor 40 mg daily, Ambien 10
mg PRN, Xanax 0.5 mg PRN and ibuprofen 400 mg PRN.
In the last 2 months, Mr. M. has been observed to be deteriorating quickly. He is having
difficulty recalling names of family members, his room number and is repeating information that
he just read. He becomes agitated and aggressive quickly. He appears fearful when he is
activing aggressively. He has been observed to be wandering at night and easily becomes lost,
requiring redirection back to his room. Mr. M. has become dependent with ADL’s where just a
few months ago he was independently dressing, bathing and feeding himself. Staff at the assisted
Case Study: Mr. M.
Grand Canyon University
NRS-410 V
, CASE STUDY: MR. M. 2
Case Study: Mr. M.
Delerium in patient’s with dementia is a frequent issue that can have life-threatening
implications when left untreated or unidentified (Fick & Mion, 2018). Acute mental status
changes in the elderly who are already diagnosed with dementia are often overlooked or blamed
on sundowning, a common phenomena in patients with dementia. Delerium can lead to poor
patient outcomes, longer hospitalizations and increased reduction in both physical and cognitive
function (Fick & Mion, 2018). Delirium is often the sign of preventable and treatable conditions
such as urinary tract infections (UTIs), pneumonia, dehydration or pain. Commonly prescribed
medications such as diphenhydramine, benzodiazepines, anti-depressants, sedatives, and anti-
psychotics can also cause delirium (Fick & Mion, 2018). For the purpose of this essay, the
following case study will be considered:
Mr. M. is a 70-year-old male who has been residing at an assisted living facility. He has
limited physical activity due to difficulty ambulating and an unsteady gait. He is a non-smoker
and does not consume alcohol. His medical history includes hypertension (HTN), elevated
cholesterol, appendectomy and post tibial fracture with surgical repair. He has no known
allergies. Mr. M. is currently prescribed Lisinopril 20 mg daily, Lipitor 40 mg daily, Ambien 10
mg PRN, Xanax 0.5 mg PRN and ibuprofen 400 mg PRN.
In the last 2 months, Mr. M. has been observed to be deteriorating quickly. He is having
difficulty recalling names of family members, his room number and is repeating information that
he just read. He becomes agitated and aggressive quickly. He appears fearful when he is
activing aggressively. He has been observed to be wandering at night and easily becomes lost,
requiring redirection back to his room. Mr. M. has become dependent with ADL’s where just a
few months ago he was independently dressing, bathing and feeding himself. Staff at the assisted
