Assignment task:
Please respond to this classmates' post.
To start, I found that the scenario was realistic. It was relatively easy to recognize the symptoms and to see the case findings. During the assessment, for example, I heard crackles at the base of the lungs bilaterally, pitting edema on the bilateral lower extremities, and the CXR finding showed pulmonary edema. At first, it was a little tricky for me to hear the heart sound and to determine its characteristic, but I finally got to it. It took me some time to get it, however. Although from my study, I knew that heart failure patients often present with the S3 sound, it was still challenging for me.
Next time, I will be more cautious in assessing my patient and focus more on my nursing management. For example, suppose I have to carry a patient like Mr. Granger. In that case, I will primarily manage the patient in relieving signs and symptoms of fluid overload, anxiety, and fatigue. I will also promote physical activity, teaching the patient about dietary restrictions and self-monitoring heart failure symptoms. In addition, I will manage the patient to increase medication compliance and decrease the adverse effects of medication. When assessing my patient, I will center and focus on asking more relevant questions. I was not surprised because I was aware I missed some of my assessments, but I am trying to adjust.
This was a very instructive scenario; I learned a lot from it. For example, I have been giving Hydralazine for a long time, and most of my African American patients with heart failure are taking hydralazine. However, from the scenario, I learned that African Americans are recommended to be prescribed Hydralazine. I also had the opportunity to visualize the plaque in the coronary artery from the video. It was a very familiar scenario.