Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, affecting more than 27 million Americans (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). It is caused when the cartilage in the joints breaks down, causing the bones of the joint to rub against one another. This causes pain, stiffness, and loss of motion in the joint. Osteoarthritis is most prevalent in those 65 and older, but can affect those of any age. In addition, African Americans and Hispanics report a higher incidence of arthritis than Caucasians (LeMone, Burke, Bauldoff, 2011). Although the cause is unknown, it is believed that the increasing age of the population, prevalence of obesity and injuries add to the progression of the condition. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint in the body; however, those of the hand, hip, and knee are often the most common. This condition may be asymptomatic, or may present symptoms including soreness, stiffness and pain. The symptoms are more common in the older population, those with limited activity levels, and those who are obese. Joint cartilage thins over time, causing an increased risk for symptoms in the elderly, and obesity puts extra pressure on the joints during activity. Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed with the use of a physical assessment along with results of radiology testing such as X-Ray and MRI.
Osteoarthritis is not a curable condition, but it can be treated using both pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods. Mild analgesics are a common form of treatment for OA, including Acetaminophen and NSAIDs, taking into consideration other co-morbidities that may be present. It is recommended that adults over 75 years of age utilize topical NSAIDs rather than oral for treatment of the pain (Tugwell et al, 2012). Research by A...
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... those goals. Part of the job of a nurse in caring for a patient with osteoarthritis is helping them to make a plan for how they can reach these goals. Having the ability to choose the safest treatment options which will improve symptoms and overall quality of life is essential in goal planning. Nurses cannot provide safe and effective patient care without understanding what the patient is facing. Osteoarthritis is not curable, and many of the treatments do not stop the progression of the condition, but only alleviate the symptoms. Patient education is imperative in this condition, as patients will need to be educated on safe long term treatments, the pharmaceutical treatments that are only safe for short term use, the ROM exercises that they should practice daily, and the options for surgical treatment along with the rehabilitation involved with those options.
Shiel W Jr.and Stoppler M. (2011). Osteoarthritis . Available: http://www.medicinenet.com/osteoarthritis/article.htm . Last accessed December 2013.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory and an autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissue (Rheumatoid arthritis, 2017). This disease affects the entire body, which is called a systemic (means entire body) disease. Arthritis is derived from the word part arthr-, which means “joint,” and -itis, which means “inflammation,” so altogether it means “inflammation of the joints.” It creates inflammation that causes the tissue that lines the inside of joints (synovium) to thicken. About 1.5 million people in the U.S. are affected. It affects all races, but it affects three times as many women than men (What is Rheumatoid Arthritis, n.d.). Overtime, rheumatoid arthritis causes painful swelling that can potentially result in bone erosion or joint deformity, which leads up to physical disabilities. RA can affect more than just your joints, but can spread to body systems, skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood vessels, e.t.c (Rheumatoid arthritis, 2017).
According to the American Nurses Association, nursing is defined as “the protection, promotion, and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations” (American Nurses Association, 2016). Nurses have many jobs and responsibilities and wear many different hats. Nurses can perform at many different levels depending on their scope of practice which is defined by the board of nursing in one’s state of residence. It is important as nurses to understand and follow
Have you ever been injured? By sports? If so, what injury did you have? Did you do active rehabilitation? Do you try to prevent injury when exercising? These are some questions that you might need to ask yourself when exercising or participating in sports. You also must know that there are many sports injuries as well as many ways to prevent them.
Nursing is a professional discipline and it provides a direct service to individuals. Nursing is a service which offers comfort, gratification and assistance at those times when individuals are under stress and in relation on their basic human needs. Nursing also offers indirect service which makes a specific contribution to the promotion of health and the recovery from illness. It involves the ability to access situation, arrives at decisions and implements a course of action designed to resolve nursing problems. Although the friendliness and the discipline my interest orthopedic in nursing came so far.
Nurses have a considerable amount of responsibility in any facility. They are responsible for administering medicines and treatments to there patient’s. While caring for there patients, nurses will make observations on patient’s health and then record there findings. As well as consulting with doctors and other healthcare professionals to plan proper individual patient care. They teach their patients how to manage their illnesses and explain to both the patient and the patients family how to continue treatment when returning home (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2014-15). They also record p...
Every part of our body is a science. I never imagined the hidden science in the movements of the body. The science of kinesiology is the science of body movements. I grew up watching my grandma and the changes in her body as both of us got older, I could walk and balance properly while she lost it. I always felt bad when she was not able to get up and walk properly and as caring grandson I always gave her my hand. It was a great feeling for me to take care of her in her last days. Her difficulty in moving always pointed me to do something for her and I landed doing kinesiology- the science of human movements. I completed my high school at Cathedral High School in West Texas. I was an active member of National Honor Society as well as Spanish Honor Society. I held the treasurer position for one year in the society, which I felt proud of. I was not excellent at my academics, was just an average student struggling with the subjects of chemistry and anatomy. It is strange at one point of time suddenly when u come across a certain situation or an accident and u just realize your dream and...
In the United States, there are two kinds of physicians that practice medicine. The Osteopathic medicine is practiced by the Doctor of Osteopathy (D.O.) while Allopathic medicine is practiced by the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.). Due to more physicians hold the degree of MD than the DO's degree, few people recognize Osteopathic Physicians.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is when the joints are chronically inflamed, which happens because it is an autoimmune disease which means that the immune system attacks the body tissues. Although Rheumatoid Arthritis mainly affects the joints, it can also affect other organs.
Finding the right doctor for particular health issues may be a difficult task. When the doctor needs to be a specialist in the area of orthopedics, the task may go from difficult to overwhelming. Picking the right orthopedic specialist will take some time and research. Begin by utilizing the reviews of orthopedic surgeons can help a potential patient narrow down the choices.
The goal for nurses as a profession is not only to be “patient advocates” but also assist the patient to learn and gain the necessary skills to achieve the best level of functioning for the patient based on their current illness. In order to help a patient achieve their optimal level of functioning the nurse must work with the patient and the interdisciplinary team to create a collaborative plan that is logical for the patient. Through examining a musculoskeletal disorder case study #35 from Preusser (2008), one can create a critical pathway for the patient, S.P. a 75 year old female, with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and admitted to the orthopedic ward for a hip fracture status post fall (p. 183). Since the patient’s needs is unique and complex the nurse must tailor a plan with the patient which will include “…assessments, consultations, treatments, lifestyle changes, disease education…” in order for the patient have the most appropriate evidence-based care and make informed decisions when it is necessary (Oliver, 2006, p. 28). The aim for the nurse caring for the S.P. is to help prepare the patient for an upcoming procedure and focus care to the patient by gathering necessary information about her while. Collaboration with the patient, family members, rehabilitation, medical and surgical team about the treatment plans can help us provide proper patient’s care by utilizing actions and interventions within the scope and standards of the nursing practice.
The general idea of, K, is that a nurse must have knowledge in the diversity of cultures, ethics, and education. The significance of this faction being that if the nurse is cognizant of the patient 's culture, beliefs, family values, support systems, and education level, a more thorough and comprehensive plan of care can be formulated. The premise of, S, is that a nurse must be skilled in the ability to communicate with and advocate for the patient, assess for and properly treat pain, and incorporate the needs and concerns of the patient and their family. The significance of this group and development of these skills include the achievement of pain control, increased rehabilitation periods, and an increase in patient/family satisfaction. The theme of, A, requires that a nurse maintains an open attitude toward the patient and to respect and validate the nurse-patient relationship, which will aid in a positive nurse-patient
Almost everyone develops osteoarthrits as they age, some get it while in their fifties and in others it does not appear until their eighties. Osteoarthritis is the most common form that affects older people; this form of the disease wears down the cartilage mostly through overuse and injury but there are other causes. This specific form of the disease causes the cartilage to break down and the bones to rub against each other. Deformity and swelling occurs because knobs of hardened bits of cartilage develop in the joint. It forms especially if a joint has been injured many times.
An ankle fracture is a break in one or more of the three bones that make up the ankle joint. The ankle joint is made up by the lower (distal) sections of your lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) along with a bone in your foot (talus). Depending on how bad the break is and if more than one ankle joint bone is broken, a cast or splint is used to protect and keep your injured bone from moving while it heals. Sometimes, surgery is required to help the fracture heal properly.
Orthopedic is a very complex area of surgery and it requires experienced and dedicated surgeons who know what to do in their specific area. Orthopedic surgery is basically concerned with injuries and conditions that affect the musculoskeletal system. So whether you have problems with joints, bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves or muscles, this is where you need to start off.