COPD Case Study

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The purpose of this essay is to explore nursing care priorities for a patient with a common health condition. A common health condition is a disease or condition which occurs most often within a population. The author has chosen scenario 3 for this essay and will describe the nursing assessment and care planning provided to a patient with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The WHO definition of COPD is a lung disease which has a chronic obstruction of the airways that impedes normal breathing and is not fully reversible (). According to), there are estimated to be over 3 million people in the UK with COPD. It is common in later life and there are approximately 25,000 deaths each year, with 15% of COPD being work related (The identity of the patient will remain anonymous in adherence with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Code of Conduct on patient confidentiality (). However, the patient will be referred to as Mr B in this essay. The author has chosen the priority of eating and drinking for Mr B. Patients with COPD are at increased risk of malnutrition and nurses must make certain they screen patients and offer advice or refer as necessary (). If this priority is managed well it will have a positive effect on the other priorities (, 2012). In accordance with NICE Guideline 101 (), the treatment and care provided should consider each persons’ individual requirements and preference. Care and treatment should take into account people’s individual needs and choices. To allow people to reach informed decisions there must be good communication, supported by evidence-based practice (). This essay will provide an evidence based discussion on how care will be implemented in relation to Mr B and his eating and drin...

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...r illness causes them (). Service users expect respect and sensitivitiy as well as competent treatment and practical support. Nurses must be willing to engage with patients with effective therapeutic communication as well as demonstrating the 6 C’s (). It is evident that nutritional and fluid intake is important for COPD sufferers. It is a long term condition, so enabling people with the condition to self manage and to be educated about the importance of their health choices (By implementing a nursing model or theory and following the cycle of ASPIRE, it would seem impossible for the primary carer to not treat Mr B holistically. Every aspect of his life is affected by his COPD and by evaluating and backing up the care plan with evidence based practice, being in partnership with Mr B every step of the way, he would be able to get the help he needs.

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