Patients w/ special challenges Flashcards
Developmental disabilities
Insufficient development of the brain causing dysfunction or impairment
Causes of intellectual disabilities include:
Genetic factors Congenital infections Complications at birth Malnutrition Environmental factor Prenatal drug or ETOH use TBI Poisoning
Autism is characterized by :
Impairment of social interaction
Severe behavioral problems
Repetitive motor activities
Verbal and nonverbal language impairment
Physical abnormalities of downy syndrome
Round head w/ flat occiput Enlarged, protruding tongue Slanted, wide-set eyes Folded skin on either side of the nose, covering the inner corners of the eyes Short, wide hands Small face and features Congenital heart defects Thyroid problems Hearing and vision problems
Visual impairments may result from
Congenital defect
Disease
Injury
Degeneration of the eyeball, optic nerve, or nerve pathway
Sensorineural deafness
Nerve damage resulting from a lesion or damage to the inner ear
Conductive hearing loss
Faulty transmission of sound waves, which can occur when a person has an accumulation of wax or a perforated TM.
Cerebral palsy is a result of :
Damage to brain in utero
Oxygen deprivation at birth
TBI at birth
Infection (meningitis) during early childhood
Cystic fibrosis
Genetic disorder characterized by increased production of mucus in the lungs and GI.
In CF, the increased mucus :
Impairs respiration
Disrupts digestion of food
Predisposition to repeated lung infections
May become life-threatening emergency in severe situations
Treatment for CF
Strictly supportive with airway and suctioning of secretions. Use humidified oxygen if available.
Multiple sclerosis
Severe, incurable, degenerative disorder involving CNS
Typical s/s of MS
Conditions related to muscle coordination, muscle, tone, altered sensation, and altered gait.
Muscular dystrophy
Slow, progressive degeneration of muscle fibers.
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is characterized by
Cardiomyopathy
Heart dysrhythmias
Scoliosis
Gait disturbances
Hemiplegia
Paralysis of one side of the body
Paraplegia
Paralysis of lower part of body
Quadriplega
Paralysis of all four extremities and trunk
Dysphagia
Partial paralysis of the esophagus causing inability to swallow
The term obese is used when someone is ____ or move over his or her ideal body weight.
30%
DOPE mnemonic
Displaced, dislodged, or damaged tube
Obstructed tube
Pneumothorax
Equipment failure
How would you assess perfusion in a patient with an LVAD?
LOC
Skin color, temp, moisture
BP
Intra-aortic balloon pumps
Used to decrease cardiac workload and augment perfusion in patients w/ cardiogenic shock, structural abnormalities of the head, MI, or following cardiac surgery.
Relationship between IABP balloon and cardiac cycle.
Diastole : balloon inflates, pushing blood forward into systemic circulation.
Systole : balloon actively deflates, creating a vacuum and reducing cardiac afterload.
Problems associated w/ central lines
Broken lines
Infections around the lines
Clotted lines
Bleeding around or from the tubing
How should a patient with a G-tube be transported?
Sitting or lying on the ride side w/ head elevated 30 degrees
Ventricular peritoneum shunt
Drains excess fluid from the ventricles of the brain into the peritoneum.
Ventricular atrium shunt
Drains excess fluid from the ventricles of the brain to the right atrium.
Signs of distress in patients w/ shunts
High-pitched cry or bulging fontanels Headache Projectile vomiting AMS Irritability Fever Nausea Difficulty with coordination Blurred vision Seizures Redness along shunt track Bradycardia Heart dysrhythmias
Signs of potential failure of GI or Gu devices
Abdominal pain or distention Decreased or absent bowel sounds Bladder distention Dysuria Changes in urinary output or color
A terminally ill patient has the following rights :
Know the truth
Confidentiality and privacy
Consent to treatment
Determine the disposition of his/her body
