Patient with heart failure - Case Study Example

Case Study: Patient with Heart Failure Case Study: Patient with Heart Failure Immediate nursing assessment for the patient Nurses should prioritize on identifying the all the possible causes and eventual treatment. The assessment should entail observation of the body temperature, respiratory rate, heartbeat rate, blood pressure of the patient, oxygenation levels throughout the body, urinary output and serial ECGs. #2: Symptoms of congestive heart failureThe ankle edema is caused by the kidney’s response to weakening of heart muscle walls.

The muscles are unable to blood effectively. Kidney retains fluids in the form of water and salt and they end up building up in arms, legs, ankles, and feet. The dyspnea and orthopnea are caused insufficient flow of blood so that there is no enough oxygen circulating within the body therefore causing a problem of breathing. The symptom of diaphoretic comes about when the body tries to enable the heart muscles pump enough oxygen in blood through the body and this ends up causing profuse perspiration (Molinari & Compare et al., 2006).#3: Priority problems The priority problems that the patient has based on the nursing assessment done upon admission include, severe dyspnea, a low heartbeat of 132 beats per minute, diaphoresis and a risky blood pressure of 98/70mmhg because they are potentially fatal (Molinari & Compare et al., 2006).#4: Rationale of medications and treatments ECG is administered before dose 3 and 4 to boost the electrical activity of the heart and increase muscle performance, start IV treatment is used to prevent nausea, vomiting and correct urinary dysfunctions .

#5: Discharge instructionsRemarkably, the nurse should instruct the patient to avoid food items with sodium salt, quit smoking, drinking alcohol, do regular exercise, and lose weight to avoid accumulation of cholesterol around the myocardium. The nurse should teach the patient that digoxin causes a little nausea and vomiting (Molinari & Compare et al., 2006). #6: Home care assessment The nurse should include respiratory rate, heart, the nutritional requirements, monitor oxygen saturation weight, and the kind of food items the patient should take.

ReferenceMolinari, E., Compare, A. & Parati, G. (2006). Clinical psychology and heart disease. New York: Springer.