Nursing Case Study: Leonard - Health Risk Factors and Assessment Tools

Running head: NURSING CASE STUDY: LEONARD
NURSING CASE STUDY: LEONARD
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1NURSING CASE STUDY: LEONARD
Introduction
Due to the detrimental physiological conditions associated with ageing, elderly patients
are often inflicted with a number of disruptive physiological and psychological health condition
(Vemuri et al. 2017). As observed from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, aged
individuals comprise of a major proportion of the Australian population, with one out of a group
of seven citizens, belonging to the age group of 64 years and beyond (Australian Institute of
Health and Welfare 2019). The following report focuses extensively on the case study of
Leonard, the various risk factors underlying his health and the best practice assessment tool
which nurses can use for this scenario.
Discussion
Health Risk Factors
Leonard’s symptom of hypertension is a key risk factor for his health, since lack of
mitigation of the same can result in his future acquisition of cardiovascular diseases such as
strokes (Turin et al. 2016). Further, an additional health risk factor of his would be his
emergence of symptoms associated with mild cognitive impairment - pre-requisite symptom of
neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s. Acquisition of Alzheimer’s have been associated
with loss of logical reasoning, memory and decision-making skills, which further hampers an
individual’s performance of activities of daily living (ADL). It has been already observed that
Leonard’s acquisition of cognitive impairment has affected his perception skills resulting in his
wandering, which if not monitored, can increase risk of falls, injuries and fatalities (Hedman et
al. 2016). Leonard’s further health risk factors lie in his symptoms of arthritis, which results in

2NURSING CASE STUDY: LEONARD
disrupted mobility as observed in Leonard’s difficulty to move and engage in self-care tasks.
Lack of osteoarthritis mitigation can increase Leonard’s risk of falls and fracture acquisition,
further leading to negative health outcomes (Quach and Burr 2018). Leonard as also been
observed to suffer from a decubitus ulcer, which is associated with detrimental damages to the
skin caused by friction. Lack of adequate management of this ulcer may increase Leonard’s risk
of pressure ulcer progression resulting in severe skin damages, possible tendon and muscle
exposure and the risk of microbial infections and permanent immobilizations (Parker et al.
2018). Leonard’s diagnosis of urinary tract infection and incontinence are also major health risk
factors since lack of proper treatment of the same results in possibilities of acquiring chronic
kidney diseases, pyelonephritis, urethral strictures and a fatal condition of urosepsis (Grabe et al.
2015). Lastly, inadequate management of Leonard’s anaemia coupled with inabilities to engage
in ADL tasks may lead to impaired self-care and loss of his physiological and psychological
wellbeing (Röhrig 2016). Hence, considering Leonard’s acquisition of a wide range of
debilitating health conditions, the nurse and health professionals must consider the deliverance of
a multidisciplinary approach to care in order to ensure achievement of positive health outcomes
(Mudge et al. 2016).
Assessment Tools
Considering Leonard’s symptoms of hypertension, nursing measurement of the patient’s
blood pressure using appropriate devices such as a sphygmomanometer may be considered as
one of best practice assessment tools for evaluation (Noble et al. 2016). However, in criticism,
considering that hypertension may be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, the nurse may
also conduct further assessments in the form of a cardiac examination of blood tests screening
lipid levels, to further assess future possibilities of atherosclerotic symptom acquisition.