Nursing Practice and Evidence-Based Care

This assignment delves into the multifaceted aspects of nursing practice. It encompasses a study of human anatomy and physiology, emphasizing their significance in clinical settings. The focus extends to evidence-based nursing, highlighting the importance of research and its application in patient care. Furthermore, it incorporates the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) and Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC) for understanding and evaluating nursing interventions and patient outcomes. The provided resources offer a comprehensive foundation for navigating these key concepts in nursing.

1Running head: NURSING
Nursing
Name of student:
Name of university:
Author note:

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Case study 1
1. The cardiovascular system has the heart, blood vessels and blood that function
as a whole for building up the liquid transport network. The heart is the powerful
workhouse of the body that has four internal chambers; two on the left and two on
the right side. The two chambers at the top of the heart are called the right atrium
and left atrium. The two chambers located at the bottom of the heart are known as
the right ventricle and the left ventricle. The blood vessels are the hollow tubes
carrying blood to and from the heart. Blood is the transport fluid of the circulatory
system (Boore et al., 2016).
2. The cardiovascular system is responsible for delivering the nutrients and oxygen
to the body and picking up waste products that are to be eliminated from the body. It
is also responsible for distributing the important proteins and hormones, as well as
some other chemicals to different parts of the body. In addition, it helps in
maintaining the body temperature, water content of the cell and fluid pH. The heart
acts as the pump propelling blood the through the cardiovascular system. Protection
of the body by antibodies and complement proteins circulating in the blood is also a
function of the cardiovascular system (Peate & Nair, 2015).
3. The respiratory system has three main parts to it; the airway, the lungs and the
muscles of respiration. The airway is made of the mouth, nose, larynx, pharynx,
bronchi, trachea and bronchioles, and is responsible for carrying air between the
body’s exterior and the lungs. The lungs are the functional unit and pass oxygen into
the body. The muscles work together for acting as a pump for air passage.
4. The respiratory system and the cardiovascular system work together for
ensuring that the organ tissues get adequate oxygen. That is needed for normal
cellular functioning. The air that an individual breaths in is held in the lungs after
which it is transferred to the blood. The heart then is responsible for circulating the
blood, through pumping action that makes oxygenated blood reach the lungs.
Moreover, the two functional systems work in collaboration for removing the carbon
dioxide from the body, a metabolic waste product (Boore et al., 2016).
5. With ageing, there is a weakening of the respiratory muscles, a decrease in lung
function, and a decline in the capability of lung defence mechanism. For
cardiovascular system, ageing also leads to decreased functioning. The structures of
the heart become rigid, and the muscles of the left ventricle might get thicker. In
addition, there is an increase in the size of the heart. As a result, the circulatory
process is impaired (Peate & Nair, 2015).
6. Angina is the condition of the heart due to myocardial ischemia caused by a
poor balance between oxygen demand and myocardial blood supply. The common
signs and symptoms of this condition include retrosternal chest discomfort, pain, and
difficultly in breathing. Emphysema is the condition of the lung caused due to
damage of the air sacs of the lungs that is alveoli. The main symptom is shortness of
breath.
7. The common risk factors between angina and emphysema are smoking and old
age. Smoking, chewing tobacco and long-term exposure to smoke are all
responsible for both the diseases. The risk increases with the amount of tobacco
smoked and the number of years smoked. Age has a directly influences the

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occurrence of these conditions. Individuals above the age of 55 years are at
increased risk of developing angina. For emphysema, people experience the
symptoms between the age 40 and 60 years (Hamric et al., 2013).
8. A thorough physical assessment for John is to be carried out immediately. This
would include monitoring the vital signs of the patient. An Electrocardiogram and
Stress test are necessary. Further, chest X-ray is to be carried out for understanding
the condition of the lungs and the heart. Blood tests would confirm the damage to the
heart if such is the case. A coronary angiography will be beneficial if the condition of
the patient deteriorates. The patient is to be provided with oxygen support for
addressing shortness of breath. Collaboration of oxygen therapy and medication
administration such as analgesics and nitroglycerin is important. The patient is to be
assisted for proper ways of coughing so that secretions can be removed (Moorhead
et al., 2014).
9. Other health professionals involved in John’s care are dietician and physical
therapist. The dietician would outline the diet for John since he is obese and his diet
is poor. The physical therapist would assist in physical exercises since he has a
sedentary lifestyle (Butcher et al., 2013).
10. In artificially acquired immunity, the individual is intentionally and artificially
exposed either to foreign antigens in active manner or to antibodies in a passive
manner for generating protective immune response (Aickelin et al., 2014).
Case study 2
1. The endocrine system is the summation of the glands of the body and the
respective hormones produced. The glands are controlled in a direct manner by the
stimulation from the nervous system and chemical receptors in hormones and blood.
The glands that are a part of the endocrine system include hypothalamus, pituitary
gland, thyroid gland, pineal gland, parathyroid gland, adrenal gland, pancreas,
gonads and thymus. The hypothalamus is a section of the human brain that has
different functions in the nervous system. The pituitary gland is a tissue lump
connected to the hypothalamus. The thyroid gland is situated at the base of the neck
around the trachea. The adrenal glands are found above the kidney. The increase is
present in the abdominal cavity posterior to the stomach (Tang et al., 2017).
2. The primary function of the endocrine system is in relation to maintainence of
the homeostasis of the body. Reproduction, cellular metabolism, sexual
development, heart rate and digestion are some of the processes that are regulated
by the action of the hormones (Boore et al., 2016).
3. Hyperthyroidism is the group of symptoms that is presented as a result of
increased levels of thyroid hormones. Graves disease is the common form of
hyperthyroidism which is an autoimmune condition. The antibodies are active against
the thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor. As a result of this the gland is
stimulated in an inappropriate manner, thereby increasing the production of the
hormone. The risk factor for this condition mainly relates to malfunction of the
immune system of the body. the risk factors include family history, gender, age,
physical stress, smoking and pregnancy (Biondi, 2015).

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4. The symptoms of Isabella relate to the condition of hyperthyroidism. According
to Pearce (2014) the symptoms of hyperthyroidism include insomnia, hand tremor,
hyperactivity, weight loss in spite of increased appetite, palpitations and diarrhea.
Due to the overabundance of the thyroid hormone, most of the physiologic system
are affected, such as heart function, metabolism, body temperature and nervous
system.
5. The digestive system is made of the digestive tract and the related organs. The
digestive tract is the tube of around 7m length and encompassing the mouth,
pharynx, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and the anus. The
associated digestive organs include the liver, pancreas, salivary gland and
gallbladder.
6. The main function of the digestive system include digestion and absorption of
the food that individuals consume. The system aids in nutritional gains for the body
through metabolism as the food is converted to nutrients. The aim of the system is to
provide energy the body and the six primary functions include ingestion of food,
secretion of digestive enzymes and fluid, mixing of food particles, digestion food
particles, absorption of nutrients and excretion of waste products (Peate & Nair,
2015).
7. The immune system of the body is the defense system that protects the body
from foreign particles and agents potentially harmful for human. The series of steps
are known as the immune response that are provided against the foreign body. the
system is made up of a number of cells, tissues and organs that work as a network
for protecting the body. This is done through the recognition and self and subsequent
response to non self (Iwasaki & Medzhitov, 2015).
8. Autoimmune disease refers to the condition in which the immune system
triggers a response to the body’s system erroneously. One common autoimmune
disease is Type 1 diabetes. In the human body the pancreas is responsible for
producing the insulin hormone that regulates and maintains blood glucose level. In
case of type 1 diabetes, there is a destruction of the cells of the pancreas
responsible for producing insulin that islets of Langerhans since the immune system
attacks these cells. Culmination of infiltration of lymphocytes also takes part in this
process (Potter et al., 2016).
9. The patient is to be considered for an in-depth assessment that would include
identifying increased basal metabolic rate in the first place. The skin is to be
assessed for warmth and moist condition. The eyes are to be checked for
conjunctival irritation, lid lag, and lid retraction. The neck is to be examined carefully
for enlarged thyroid gland. Abdomen assessment would include hyperactive bowel
sound and neurologic assessment would include hand tremors. The nurse is to
monitor the food intake of Isabella and weigh her daily for reporting weight loss. A
balanced diet is to be provided to her for promoting weight gain. A cool and quiet
environment is to be provided to address her restlessness. Comfort measures are to
be given in addition to diversional activities. This would help in reducing anxiety and
inability to sleep. For addressing heart palpitations the nurse must administer
adrenergic antagonists (Black, 2016).
10. The endocrinologist and the nutritionist would be referred to for Isabella. An
endocrinologist is the concerned physician who diagnoses and treats hormone

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related problems and complications in patients. The nutritionist would address the
nutritional deficiency of the patient since she has lost weight considerably (DiCenso
et al., 2014).
Case study 3
1. The nervous system has the main function of coordinating and managing all the
activities of the human body. It is chiefly responsible for maintaining the normal
functioning of the body in addition to enhancing the ability of the body to cope with
medical complications. The functions can be divided into three primary categories; a
sensory function, an interpretative function and a motor function (Louis et al., 2016).
The sensory nerves are responsible for gathering information from the outside
environment and the inside of the body. The sensory information is subsequently
passed on to the central nervous system for processing and interpretation.
Consequently, the motor nerves are accountable for conveying the information from
the central nervous system to the glands and muscles.
2. Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease known to
attack the myelinated axons present in the central nervous system. The immune
cells in an active form are responsible for invading the central nervous system,
thereby leading to neurodegeneration, inflammation and damage to the tissue. The
disease is marked by the destruction of the myelin and the axon to different extents,
leading to physical disability (Mahad et al., 2015).
3. The signs and symptoms of Daisy relate to multiple sclerosis. The weakness
and numbness in one or more limbs are due to the impaired nervous system’s
functioning. Pain and tingling are also associated with this condition. Myelin damage
also leads to impairment in vision, and thus a patient has blurred vision. Dizziness
and fatigue are due to impaired body functioning. The patient might also suffer
problems with bladder functioning (Lublin et al., 2014).
4. The urinary system is made up of the ureters, kidneys, bladder and the urethra.
The aim of the renal system is to carry out elimination of waste products from the
body and regulate blood pressure and volume. The body has two paired kidneys and
formation of urine takes place in the nephrons. It then flows through the collecting
ducts into the ureter from the renal pelvis. At the time of urination the urine is
discharged from the urethra (Boore et al., 2016).
5. The special senses refer to the senses having specialised organs for their active
role. These are vision, hearing, balance, smell and taste. The organs responsible for
these functions are eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin. The overall function of our
special senses is establish a connection with the outer world. The purpose is an
adequate interpretation of the vicinity environment.
6. Multiple sclerosis has a negative impact on the sensory functioning. Vision
blurring, vision loss and colour blindness are due to inflammation of the optic nerve.
Scarring in the auditory nerve leads to impairment in hearing. Lesions in the frontal
and temporal lobes of the brain lead to impaired taste perceptions. There is an
association between impaired smell sense and reduced volume of olfactory bulb
and gray matter. The sensory nerve fibres are damaged by the disease too (Mahad
et al., 2015).

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7. Edentulism refers to the condition in which the person is toothless to some
degree. If the person has lost some of the teeth then the condition is called partial
edentulis. If the person has lost all of the teeth the the condition is called complete
edentulism. Dentate refers to the condition of having teeth or objects that have
serrate edges.
8. Oral health disease have a significant impact on the human body’s normal
functioning. Firstly, the patient suffers pain and inconvenience in eating. Inability to
eat leads to decreased nutritional intake. Further, infection in the oral area can lead
to secondary infections that might affect other parts of the body (Halvari et al, 2013).
9. Marie is to be considered for an assessment that would include identification for
weakness, walking difficulties, poor balance, stiffness in muscles and spasms, pain
and tremor. The emotional needs of the patient are also to be identified. Medications
are to be administered to the patient for addressing the pain. Psychological and
emotional support is to be provided for ensuring emotional stability. The patient is
also to be encouraged to have adequate fluid intake (Ackley et al., 2016)).
10. Apart from the neurologist, the patient is to be referred to a rehabilitation
specialist and a nutritionist. The rehabilitation specialist would work for promoting the
body functioning of the patient through diverse range of physical therapies and
occupational therapies. The nutritionist would guide in maintaining body nutritional
requirements (Potter et al., 2016).

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