NURS 6550:Week 6: Conditions of the Gastrointestinal System Essay Assignment Paper

This week, as you examine the clinical presentations of gastrointestinal conditions in acute care settings, you will explore strategies for assessing, diagnosing, and treating patients with gastrointestinal conditions.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this week, students will:

• Evaluate patients with gastrointestinal conditions
• Develop differential diagnoses for patients with gastrointestinal conditions
• Develop treatment plans for patients with gastrointestinal conditions
• Assess knowledge of patient evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment in acute care settings

Learning Resources

Required Readings

Colyar, M. R. (2015). Advanced practice nursing procedures. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

• Section 8, “Gastrointestinal Procedures”
  • Chapter 111, “Hemoccult”
  • Chapter 113, “Urea Breath Test”
  • Chapter 114, “X-ray Interpretation: Abdominal Procedures”
  • Chapter 118, “Nasogastric Tube Insertion”
  • Chapter 120, “Perianal Skin Tags and External Hemorrhoidal Skin Tags”
  • Chapter 122, “Prostate Massage”
  • Chapter 123, “Rectal Prolapse Reduction”

Papadakis, M. A., McPhee, S. J., & Rabow, M. W. (2018). Current medical diagnosis & treatment (57th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

 

• Chapter 15, “Gastrointestinal Disorders” (pp. 586-684)
• Chapter 16, “Liver, Biliary Tract, & Pancreas Disorders” (pp. 685-745)
• Chapter 29, “Nutritional Disorders” (pp. 1278-1296)
• Chapter 28, “Lipid Disorders” (pp. 1269-1277)

Weber, E. C., Vilensky, J. A., & Fog, A. M. (2013). Practical radiology: A symptom-based approach. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.

• Chapter 8, “Abdomen” (pp. 163–180)

University of Virginia. (2013k). Introduction to gastrointestinal radiology. Retrieved from http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/courses/rad/gi/index.html

Required Media

i-Human Patient Cases. (2014). Retrieved from https://ih2.i-human.com/users/sign_in

University of Virginia. (2013c). Cross sectional anatomy of the abdomen. Retrieved from http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/courses/rad/CTAbdominalAnatomy/

University of Virginia. (2013h). Introduction to abdominal plain radiographs. Retrieved from http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/courses/rad/PlainAbdomen/index.html

Optional Resources

Barkley, T & Myers, C. (2015). Practice Considerations for Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioners, Volumes 1 and 2 West Hollywood,, Ca: Barkley and Associates, Inc.

Sullivan, D. D. (2012). Guide to clinical documentation (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis.

Assignment: Assessing, Diagnosing, and Treating Conditions of the Gastrointestinal System

When patients present with symptoms related to gastrointestinal conditions, it is important for advanced practice nurses to perform thorough physical examinations and focus on shared patient information, especially regarding symptoms, diet, lifestyle, and medication use. Even mild gastrointestinal symptoms can be caused by serious health conditions with potentially life-threatening consequences. For this Assignment, as you examine this week’s i-Human patient case study, consider how you might evaluate and treat patients who present with gastrointestinal conditions.

To prepare:

• Review this week’s Learning Resources. Consider how to assess, diagnose, and treat conditions of the gastrointestinal system.
• Review this week’s i-Human case studies. Based on the patient information provided, think about the health history you would need to collect from the patient
• Consider what physical exams and diagnostic tests would be appropriate to help you gather more information about the patient’s condition. Reflect on how the results would be used to make a diagnosis.
• Identify three to five possible conditions to consider in a differential diagnosis for the patient.
• Consider the patient’s diagnosis. Think about clinical guidelines that might support this diagnosis.
• Reflect on a treatment plan for the patient that includes health promotion and patient education strategies.

To complete:

As you interact with this week’s i-Human patient, complete the assigned case study. For guidance on using i-Human, refer to the i-Human Patients Case Player Student Manual in the Week 1 Learning Resources.