The following Assignment task refers to the assignment in 2014. The task in 2015 has a different scenario and slightly different requirements therefore students need to consider this aspect in developing their Aged Care Nursing Assignment in 2015.
Three exemplars representing different standards have been provided that address the 2014 assignment task. These exemplars may provide you with further insight in how to address the 2015 task in regards to how to most effectively develop the assignment structure, provide a substantiated discussion and reference appropriately.
Students are to refer to the following scenario and address the assessment task. Students are required to research the current scholarly literature and present written work using APA 6 style.
Scenario:
A confused man (approximately mid-sixties in age) presents to the Emergency Department in a dishevelled and unkempt state. He has been unable to coherently provide information about himself or his condition. On admission, his appearance and odour suggests that he has not washed for some time and he frequently scratches his right upper arm. He anxiously keeps trying to leave the department saying that he wants to get home for dinner, yet is unable to state his address. On examination, his breath has an acetone odour, he has a haematoma (50 cents size) on the right side of his forehead and he repeatedly states that he wants to pass urine.
Assignment A: 2,000 words
You are the Registered Nurse assigned to care for this patient. You are required to assess this patient and plan their care. In order to do this you will need to:
1. Detail, prioritise and provide rationales for the nursing assessment that you will undertake.
2. Prioritise and provide rationales for the planned care you develop for this patient.
The overall aim of this assessment task is to help you develop critical thinking skills in the provision of safe, appropriate nursing care of an older adult assigned to your care.
Scenario:
You are a registered nurse working on an Orthopaedic ward. Mr Dwight Simons, 67 years, is being transferred to you from the Emergency Department via operating theatres. You need to assess, plan, prioritise and provide care for Mr Simons who has just undergone a total hip replacement to treat a fractured neck of femur of his right leg.
Mr Simons waited in the Emergency Department 12 hours for surgery. Prior to this he was laying where he fell, on the floor at home, for 18 hours before help arrived. Mr Simons is a semi-retired pharmacist and has been working 3 days per week. His wife died earlier this year and he now lives alone.
On arrival to your ward, Mr Simons is confused but otherwise in a stable condition. He has an IV cannula in situ right lower arm, with IV Normal Saline running at 40mls/hr and a Fentanyl PCA. There is approximately 200mls left in the IV bag. His GCS is 14 and his pupils are equal & reactive. His blood pressure is 137/78 mmHg, his pulse is 87 bpm and he is afebrile at 36.6 degrees. The surgical incision is dressed with minimal strikethrough. There are 2 Belovac drains that are patent and draining from the incision site- a total of 500mls emptied in operating theatres. His integument is otherwise intact but you notice a large bruise and swelling on his (R) temple – the theatre nurse explains that his head was bumped during the transfer from the operating table to his bed. His IDC is patent and draining a strong yellow coloured fluid.
Mr Simons is awake but appears confused. He is able to remember his date of birth but cannot recall why he is in hospital or what day it is. He keeps trying to sit up even though he has been frequently reminded not to. He keeps dropping his PCA button and asking staff to call his wife to come and pick him up.
Task: Your task is to write an essay of 2000 words in which you explain the decisions you would make in assessing, planning and prioritising the care of Mr Simons. You are to assume you are the Registered Nurse assigned to care for him for the duration of an 8 hour shift. In the essay you need to:
1) Identify & prioritise the nursing care of Mr Simons
2) Describe, prioritise and provide a rationale for the nursing assessments you will undertake
3) Describe, prioritise, and provide a rationale for the planned care of Mr Simons that demonstrates client centred care
- Ensure that you use relevant academic literature to support the decisions you would make in order to provide an evidenced-based approach to the nursing assessment and nursing care.
- References: Minimum of 15 scholarly articles
Assignment Task Marking Criteria Content Possible mark Mark Achieved Comments Knowledge and Understanding
- Describes appropriate nursing assessments for the client
- Describes a comprehensive plan of care that demonstrates client centred care
Analysis:
- Appropriate and clinically sound prioritisation of nursing assessments
- Sound Rationales given to justify the nursing assessments
- Appropriate and clinically sound prioritisation of client-centred nursing care
- Sound rationales given to justify the plan of care
- Arguments are clear and logical, well developed