Pre-hospital Administration of Hydrocortisone Drug in the UK - Essay Example

Directional Terms By Human Resource Management of Introduction I work as a paramedic in a private hospital and this study will help underscore the attributes of Hydrocortisone, which provides relief for inflamed points on the body. The medicine is used to treat numerous and diverse conditions which include inflammation or swelling, adrenal issues, asthma, issues with the bone marrow, skin conditions and arthritis among many others. A paramedic refers to a health care professional that works in the emergency medical units and conditions. The healthcare offers medical assistance to sustain life in a hospital milieu. This essay seeks to examine whether patients with acute Exacerbation of COPD, would be able to improve their outcome in the event of pre -hospital administration of Hydrocortisone drug in the UK. In addition, the essay will answer the question on the reasons as to why the paramedics are not allowed to give hydrocortisone to exacerbation COPD patients. Essentially, the hydrocortisone drug is one of the most powerful medicines, which help in offering relief to patients with numerous conditions. The drug is critical since it bridges the gap between the time of arrival at the hospital for treatments and the actual treatment of asthma. A doctor only administers the medicine, which is good in relieving the mentioned conditions as it acts on the immune system. The dosage of the medicine available includes the tablet and a suspension. PICO procedure is used to ensure that the right procedure is followed in looking for the answers of the question under study. PICO means the problem, Intervention, Comparison Group and Outcomes. Problem The problem under study is pre -hospital administration of Hydrocortisone drug in cases of acute Exacerbation of COPD in the UK, however on consideration that the paramedics are not allowed to administer it. The severity of the problem is the increased need for health care providers to ensure that the primary purpose of saving life is achieved. Despite the fact that a patient’s condition requires a practitioner to offer prescribed medicine in order to help regain normal status, the stage in which hydrocortisone is offered is the foundation of the healing process. This health condition has numerous symptoms, which include increased dysponea, fluid retention, increased fatigue, malaise, colds, increased cough and in severe cases, the respiratory fails to function. It is notable that, these characteristics indicate a severe health problem that requires urgent medical assistance to sustain life in a hospital setting. The initial stages of the medical attention should be offered en route to hospital as the patient is taken to a medical specialist for specialized medication. This process can help relieve pain or and inflammation. Intervention Upon realization of acute Exacerbation, a patient should be rushed to hospital for treatment. The process of treatment is referred to as the intervention processes aimed at saving the situation and consequently save a life. Due to the extent of the health problem, the A& E doctors should offer medication. It is notable that the process of assessment and evaluation of the health problem helps in understanding the severity of the condition, which helps in offering the best requisite medication. As indicated earlier in this paper, when a doctor observes symptoms such as pursed lip breathing and acute confusion, then the situation of the exacerbation is critical and thus calls for the immediate and high-level professionalism. In essence, the process of intervention as seen earlier in this paper should be well evaluated to have a clear-cut direction on the next step of offering medication. Critical steps should be made to ensure that all the possible treatment intervention is made relative to the state of the condition. In addition, the intervention stage should include the process of taking several X-rays, which include the chest examination and in-depth evaluation of the sputum culture (Greaves, Porter, & Woollard, 2006). This will go a long way to understanding the exact medication to be administered to save the life of the victim. Moreover, an in-depth evaluation of the sick person is helpful in defining the best cause of action intended to offer excellent intervention service. It is imperative to note that, the intervention stage of this diagnosis process of the health condition is a critical component of the whole process, since the exact health condition and the extent of infection is discovered at this point. This stage helps in ensuring that the best and appropriate medication is offered. Comparison of statistics This is to ensure that a predication of the possible causes of the health condition and related issues is done appropriately. At this point, the expert opinion on the inconsistence or consistence of the results or outcomes is required to help in the future predictions. This brings us to the following hierarchy of evidence followed in this study (Cazzola, 2009). Level Rank Methodology STRONGEST 1 Systematic Reviews and meta-Analyses 2 Randomize Controlled Trials 3 Case- Controlled Studies 4 Non-Experimental Designs 5 Expert Opinion WEAKEST 6 Views of colleagues The above table indicates the procedure of evidence that support this topic. In the case of the expert opinion and colleagues views, the ideas should be well-discussed and supported with evidence whether from research or previous experiences. Statistics According to the National Centre of Biotechnology (NCB), exacerbations of COPD are responsible 10% of all medical admissions that are made in all hospitals in the UK (Wood-Baker et, al 2005). This is equivalent to over 100,000 admissions yearly, which have an average stay of a week in hospital. Effects on patient Exacerbations treatment considers a number of elements which results in the patients getting treatment. The effect of these delays is severity of the underlying COPD, which may result in more complications on the respiratory and haemodynamic systems (Pauwels et, al 2001). The treatment of these “further complications” depends on the initial treatment that should have been given to the patient, which in this case puts the life of the patient in danger. To reduce the effect of delayed treatment on patients, physicians usually administer hydrocortisone, which is used as a replacement alternative for facilitating the adrenal glands in producing enough corticosteroids to help the body systems. The treatment also helps in treating patients a number of disorders in the immune system, blood, breathing as well as other severe complications. In addition, the medicine boosts the response of the immune systems of patients. This explains why the paramedics should be allowed to administer hydrocortisone. Conclusion Hydrocortisone is a medicine, which provides relief for inflamed points on the body. The medicine is used to treat several and diverse conditions which included swelling, adrenal issues, asthma, bone marrow issues, and arthritis among many others. Over 10 percent of the UK patients undergo this treatment procedure. This implies that considerable resources are spent on secondary care and high rates of occupancy in hospitals. Patients with recurrent exacerbations experience rapid decline of their body health systems and lead a restricted life. References Cazzola, M. (2009). Acute exacerbations in COPD. Oxford: Clinical Pub. Greaves, I., Porter, K., Hodgetts, T. J., & Woollard, M. (2006). Emergency care: A textbook for paramedics. London: W. B. Saunders. Gregory, P., & Mursell, I. (2010). Manual of clinical paramedic procedures. Chichester, U.K: Wiley-Blackwell. Pauwels RA, Buist AS, Calverley PM, Jenkins CR, Hurd SS, the GOLD Scientific Committee. Global strategy for the diagnosis, management, and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. NHLBI/WHO Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Workshop summary. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2001; 163: 1256–1276. Sahn, S. (2012). Acute exacerbation of respiratory diseases. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers. Sahn, S. A. (2012). Clinical Focus Series®: Acute Exacerbation of Respiratory Diseases. New Delhi: Jaypee Brothers Pvt. Ltd Wood-Baker RR, Gibson PG, Hannay M, Walters EH, Walters JAE. (2005). Systemic corticosteroids for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cochrane Database System Read More