Introduction Today I was placed to do my clinical in the intensive care unit, for my first time being there I had an amazing experience and I am looking forward to spending the rest of my semester on this ward. I was assigned to J.K a 63-year-old woman who was diagnosed with respiratory failure of airway obstruction SV syndrome, R/O mediastinal mass. My plan for this patient is to perform a head to toe assessment, monitor ventilator, administer medications as ordered by the doctor, suction patient as necessary, monitor input and output, ensure hygiene needs are met, comfort her and document.
Feelings
Prior to going to ICU, I was eager to see what it is like and how the healthcare professionals work together to take care of their …show more content…
In Grenada, people are only admitted to the ward if their condition is reversible, for instance, someone who has kidney failure will be admitted, unlike someone who has end-stage stomach cancer. J.K was seriously ill and her conditions were reversible hence, she was admitted to the ward. J.K have developed respiratory failure of airway obstruction and super vena cava syndrome because of the mediastinal tumor. A mediastinal tumor can either be benign or cancerous that grows in the mediastinum. This area contains the heart, aorta, esophagus, trachea and thymus and is surrounded by the breastbone at the front, the lungs on each side and the spine at the back. Some signs and symptoms of super vena cava syndrome are, headache, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, cough, systemic edema, pemberton signs, the distended vein in the neck, chest and …show more content…
However, upon assessment she was alert and oriented to name place and time, breathing spontaneously via an endotracheal tube at 10 L oxygen therapy, equal rise and fall of the chest, crackles heard at the base of her lungs, cough still persistent. She was not cyanotic, no edema was seen, capillary refill within 2 seconds, mucous membrane pink and moist, blood pressure and pulses within normal range. Overall, besides the crackles on auscultation, I did not find any other abnormalities while doing my assessment on J.K. Nevertheless, even though she’s improving she still needs to be monitored closely, also a biopsy of the mediastinal tumor needs to be done to detect whether the tumor is benign or cancerous. If the result shows cancer she will have the surgical procedure done, the type of surgery depends on the type of tumor and its location, followed by chemotherapy or/and radiation. If it is benign she will just have the surgical procedure to remove the mass. J.K was placed on hydrocortisone, ceftriaxone, clexane, zantac, lasix and panadol to treat her condition.
Feelings
Prior to going to ICU, I was eager to see what it is like and how the healthcare professionals work together to take care of their …show more content…
In Grenada, people are only admitted to the ward if their condition is reversible, for instance, someone who has kidney failure will be admitted, unlike someone who has end-stage stomach cancer. J.K was seriously ill and her conditions were reversible hence, she was admitted to the ward. J.K have developed respiratory failure of airway obstruction and super vena cava syndrome because of the mediastinal tumor. A mediastinal tumor can either be benign or cancerous that grows in the mediastinum. This area contains the heart, aorta, esophagus, trachea and thymus and is surrounded by the breastbone at the front, the lungs on each side and the spine at the back. Some signs and symptoms of super vena cava syndrome are, headache, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, cough, systemic edema, pemberton signs, the distended vein in the neck, chest and …show more content…
However, upon assessment she was alert and oriented to name place and time, breathing spontaneously via an endotracheal tube at 10 L oxygen therapy, equal rise and fall of the chest, crackles heard at the base of her lungs, cough still persistent. She was not cyanotic, no edema was seen, capillary refill within 2 seconds, mucous membrane pink and moist, blood pressure and pulses within normal range. Overall, besides the crackles on auscultation, I did not find any other abnormalities while doing my assessment on J.K. Nevertheless, even though she’s improving she still needs to be monitored closely, also a biopsy of the mediastinal tumor needs to be done to detect whether the tumor is benign or cancerous. If the result shows cancer she will have the surgical procedure done, the type of surgery depends on the type of tumor and its location, followed by chemotherapy or/and radiation. If it is benign she will just have the surgical procedure to remove the mass. J.K was placed on hydrocortisone, ceftriaxone, clexane, zantac, lasix and panadol to treat her condition.