Healthcare Assistant: Private Ward in One of Londons Neurological Hospitals - Essay Example

Introduction I work as a healthcare assistant in private ward in one of London’s neurological hospitals. I admitted this patient in the hospital. Theinitial procedure was to insert a Ventriculo Peritoneal Shunt but it turned out that the patient was diabetic. He was informed of the procedures and the purpose of meeting in advance. The patient’s confidentiality is always a sensitive issue. To maintain confidentiality the patient’s name has been changed according to the NMC. Following the ethics and code of professional conduct, the patient was assured of their confidentiality. I obtained the consent before proceeding with any procedure. For a detailed medical record of the patient please refer to the index at the end of this paper. I was in contact with the patient for three weeks as I was monitoring the patient’s recovery and the effect of medication and diet. I had to monitor the diabetic data that the patient was showing so that I could change any medication or diet in the patient’s diet plan. My capacity included direct interaction with the patient where I could talk and advise any recommendations or any guideline that I deemed necessary. I had to go through a detailed discussion about the confidentiality because the privacy of medical records of the patient is always a debatable issue. The patient’s content that they are the sole owners of their medical record and this cannot be shared with anyone. The patients have the right to access their own medical records (Schoenberg & Safran, 2000). However, the doctor side of this debate argues that the medical records should be accessible to the medical staff and anyone that the doctors deemed worthy and qualified enough to share their opinion for the recovery and better treatment of the patient. Main Body Normal Anatomy and physiology -750 words (Support with literature) The normal anatomy and physiology of the patient with type II diabetes includes normal blood pressure but the patient presented the case of hypotension. This condition can be explained by the use of drug Amlodipine. The normal physiology of a 45 year old male does not include nausea or headaches. At the age of 45 a person is healthy showing no unusual weakness in limbs and no visual disturbance. Endocrine pancreas is present as cell-clusters (islets of Langerhans) comprising four types of cells: alpha, beta, PP and delta cells (Sussel et al., 1998). Type II diabetes mellitus occurs with the interaction of environmental factors and a certain combination of genetic variants (Sladek et al., 2007). A study by Lorenzo et al. (1994) reveals that amylin fibril formation in pancreas can cause islet cell dysfunction and death in type II diabetes mellitus. Clark et al. (1988) seconds this study and concludes that exocrine fibrosis might be secondary for causing disordered islet cell function. Any condition that damages pancreas is most likely to lead to diabetes (Hanas, 2007). Pancreatitis is the most common condition in this scenario where digestive juices release into the abdomen (Hanas, 2007). The organ gets caught up in a vicious cycle where any attacks cause permanent damage. The organ is unable to produce enzymes, insulin or glucagon (Hanas, 2007). Altered physiology in relation to chosen patient-750 words The altered physiology of the patient includes dizziness, nausea and vomiting. The frequency vomiting is two times per week. As explained earlier the hypotension is explained by the drug Amlodipine. Headaches also accompany the patient’s other symptoms. The severe nest of headaches is a seven on a 1 to 10 scale, where 10 represents maximum pain. The patient present symptoms of diabetes type II. It appears that it is not unusual because he represents a family history of diabetes. The altered physiology can be due to many reasons. The patient was diagnosed with type II diabetes 12 months ago. At the current moment the patient was not admitted due to complications of diabetes. He was scheduled for brain stem glioma for VPS. Effect of diseases process/normal condition -500 words The cause of type II diabetes is explained in the previous subheading where a study revealed that the cost for this type of diabetes includes environmental factors and genetic variants (Sladek et al., 2007). The patient’s history reveals that both his parents were diabetic. It means that this condition has not occurred out of abnormality because there was a high likelihood of this patient developing diabetes at some stage in his life. Student involvement in caring for/ supporting patient and others-500 words Conclusion- 250 words –Look back over your involvement in caring for the patient. What where the main things you lern from this experience and how will you use this new or develop knowledge in the future. NO NEW INFORMATION. Specific points The section on normal anatomy and altered physiology are very factual but avoid simply copying chunks of text from A&P books Look at a range of literature and make comparisons between what is said, put the text into your own words and make properly formed sentences and paragraphs. Do not use bulleted lists. Depending upon the subject area it may be that instead of discussing a whole system it is more valuable to talk about an organ. E.G diabetes- focus on pancreas not whole G.I /endocrine system. Explain which system the organ is part of and what it,s role is within the system but then focus your discussion around organ. Remember about limit words and for 750 words need to be 3-4 references. Altered Physiology This should provide an overview of the altered physiology that is taking place in the patient you are caring for. Discussion around example Talks about altered physiology –normal- abnormal. Explore range of literature within this section to discussion what is happening and aims to use between 3-4 different sources of information to support your discussion. Relationship to chosen patient This will make links around the general to the patient. For example how is the patient managing their diabetes? Appendix Age 45 General - No smoking - Drinking occasionally - Family- mother died of heart attack at 60 yr. - GCS 15/15 - Pupils- equal on both sides reactions to lights - Patient admitted for brain stem glioma for VPS Current medical history - Presented with balance problem and nausea - vomiting twice per week - Headache (7/10 score) top of head pain - Dizziness -no visual disturbance -no weakness in limbs -no urinary and bowel problems - Hypotension on med: Amlodipine - Diabetic type 2 - blood sugar on admission 14 mmol -med: insulin Previous relevant medical history Endoscopic 3rd ventriculostomy in March 2011 21/03/12 Astrocytoma with early progression to grade III Chemo radiation completed 14/06/2012 history of diabetes in family-father and mother Relevant social history Patient lives with wife and 2 kids, a happy social life. References Clark et al., 1988. Islet amyloid, increased A-cells, reduced B-cells and exocrine fibrosis: quantitative changes in the pancreas in type II diabetes. PMID. 9(4): 151-159. Hanas, R. 2007. Type 2 Diabetes in adults of all ages. Class Publishing. Lorenzo et al., 1994. Pancreatic islet cell toxicity of amylin associated with type-2 diabetes mellitus. Nature. 368. 756-760. Schoenberg, R. & Charles, S. 2000. Internet based repository of medical records that retains patient confidentiality. BMJ. pp. 321:1199  Sladek et al., 2007. A genome-wide association study identifies novel risk loci for type II diabetes. Nature. 445; 881 - 885. Sussel et al., 1998. Mice lacking the homeodomain transcription factor Nkx2.2 have diabetes due to arrested differentiation of pancreatic beta cells. Development.125: 2213-2221 Read More