Assessment of Patient Jenny Peterson: Maintaining a Safe Environment and Deficient Knowledge on Seizure Management

This essay assesses patient Jenny Peterson's case, focusing on the priority goals of maintaining a safe environment and addressing deficient knowledge on seizure management. The effectiveness of interventions in managing Jenny's case is evaluated.

Case study Assesment
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Introduction
This essay assesses patient Jenny Peterson aged 23 years, a mother of a two-year-old
girl named Samara. She is suffering from epilepsy and currently attending a neurology clinic for
epilepsy stabilization. The patient encountered and sustained a head injury in a road accident
hit by a drunk driver. She spent three days in the intensive care unit before being transferred to
the rehabilitation unit. Three months patient Jenny developed tonic-clonic seizures. She
previously had an investigation over seizures, while in the hospital her seizures were controlled
and managed. Patient Jenny is facing financial distress and still has symptoms of the previously
diagnosed disease. She has resorted to discontinue her medication on the assumption that she
will get better. The patient is afraid of the future and fears for her daughter and the occurrence
of future seizures alone in the house. Based on the status of the patient, maintaining a safe
environment and deficient knowledge on the management of seizures are the top care priorities.
Thus in view of this, the essay will assess the priority selected goals for the patient and overall
effectiveness for the interventions in managing Jenny's case.
Analysis
Maintaining a safe environment
Maintaining safe care for the patient is crucial in ensuring that harm is reduced and
minimized. Safe environment for patients with seizures allows for a reduction in the overall
accidental experiences which cause more harm to the patient. According to the Affordable Care
Act, there is an immense emphasis on ensuring patient safety and reduction in the number of
preventable adverse events (Conway, O’Donnell & Yates, 2017). For this case, there is a need
to assess the environment which the patient is and offering a safe environment in case of
seizure episode so as to minimize adverse injuries. In justifying this priority, the patient is
currently living with her young daughter alone. This offers immense risks during a seizure event
when the daughter cannot offer any help and the patient suffers great injuries (Myers, 2017).
Assessment of the overall house safety is key in ensuring that harmful objects are removed and
stored safely so as to alleviate any injury in seizure attack. In the house, objects such as carpet
floors, close fireplace screens, electric heaters among other dangerous objects. Studies have
shown that lack of a safe environment for epileptic and seizure patients can increase the risks
of accidents and the development of adverse injuries. Most of the common injuries identified
allied to an unsafe environment includes scalds in the kitchen, bathroom hot water use of higher
temperature and indoor heating appliances. High incidences have been associated with focal
dyscognitive seizures and tonic-clonic seizures, similar to patient Jenny, hence putting her at
great risks (Tieman et al., 2017).
A key and relevant goal as a community nurse is to ensure that the patient is safe during
all occurrences of seizures. Due to the patient state of injury during seizures, there is a high risk
of developing an adverse injury. Key interventions to be undertaken during this period will be

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assessing the patient house and removing all dangerous objects which might lead to increased
risks for injury. Sharp objects have often been termed as high risk. Studies undertaken have
shown that seizure and epileptic patients encounter tremendous injuries. In a study undertaken
by Mollaoglu & Bolayir (2013) among epileptic patients attending outpatient clinics, 8.5% had
sustained injury due to seizures with soft tissue being the common site of injury with 70.2%
followed by head injury with 61.5% and tongue injury at 5.8%. The most sites for burns were the
upper extremities and the face area. Interestingly, these injuries occurred at home, thus
signifying homes as greatest risks factors for injury especially among the tonic-clonic seizures
having high seizure frequency. Thus, injury occasioned by the unsafe environment are the
common risks factors for patients with seizures and far more risks are increased among tonic-
clonic patients such as patient Jenny. Key significant intervention to address the injuries is
basically ensuring the home environment through the removal of dangerous objects and
ensuring the house is safe for the patient. Key rationales for this action entail a reduction of
injuries and to ensures that the environmental safety of the patient is conducive in seizures
attack. Further, moving dangerous objects in one location will be beneficial for the patient so as
to ensure that enough space is left in the house in case of any seizure an ample space is
available for the patient to fall and minimize impact associated injuries (Wagner et al., 2017).
Evaluating the effectiveness of my interventions will entail an assessment of the overall
home environment on regular episodes. This will be essential for close monitoring of the patient
house so as to asses and further check any dangerous materials and object which aright pose
danger to the patient during seizure attacks. Undertaking random assessments on the patient
house will be beneficial in addressing environmental assessments. Engaging in this activity will
entail periodic assessments such as after one week, an assessment of the house will be
conducted so as to check any dangerous environmental objects the patient might be at risk.
Deficient knowledge on the management of seizures
Deficient knowledge is characterized by a lack of awareness by the patient on how to
manage the consequence of an epileptic and seizure attack. This knowledge range from
prevention of adverse risks associated with seizure attack, emergencies attacks during the
seizure attack and eventual drug administration intake. The patient is facing inadequate
knowledge on the importance of drug management she is undertaking. Patient Jenny considers
withdrawing the drugs she is consuming to assess if she will feel better and improve on her
diagnosis both for her current diagnosis of nausea and seizure drugs. The patient issue
portrayed signifies urgent attention since drug withdrawal will lead to exacerbation of her
symptoms and eventually increased risks for negative health outcome. Studies have shown that
disease knowledge is a key aspect of management and prevention purposes (). Lack of
awareness by the patient on the importance of the drugs offered to him will lead to deteriorating
health state and thus more harmful effects on her health. Failure to address this issue, further,

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will lead to a more co-morbid state of the patient disease. Inadequate recovery from nausea,
coupled with elevated stress levels with epileptic symptoms will have tremendous effects on her
health (Thapa, Bhandari, Shrestha & Poude, 2017).
Often in the past, many therapeutic goals for the patient have often revolved around
management and control of seizures irrespective of side effects caused. The goals have
evolved towards a patient's centered care. The applicable goal to patient Jenny will involve
enabling her to lead a lifestyle which is consistent with her capabilities. The patient state is
being worried of inability to protect and shield her child due to the state of her condition.
Enabling patient Jenny to assess her own abilities at this point is crucial. Self-empowerment in
epilepsy care through the management of deficient knowledge is vital. Self-management and
empowering patients in managing their own care are critical during the care process (Price et
al., 2015). More studies have deduced that lack of proper understanding of disease by the
patients such as epilepsy often leads to higher risks not limited to decreased treatment options,
effective symptoms management and participating fully in daily activities (England et al., 2014).
Limited awareness by the patient on the beneficial effects of drug management can lead to
worsening of the overall patient disease state. Center for Disease Control (CDC, 2012) has
advocated for enhanced public education and awareness on disease management so as to
improve treatment outcomes. In en-cultivating, this aspects on the patient, discussing the
importance of good general health with adequate rests, diet, exercise, and avoidance of
alcoholic, caffeine and stimulant drugs are essential for reducing the precipitating factors and
enhancing the general wellbeing of the patient. Further, a critical intervention will entail
reviewing the patient medication regiment with a view of educating the patient on the
importance of medication protocol. More often, the lack of Maintainance on the medication
regime can lead to exacerbation of disease diagnosis, which is likely to increase the seizure
attack faced by the patient.
Key evaluation of this nursing care will entail evaluating the effectiveness of the drug
and considering any side effects which the patient might be experiencing and psychological
effects caused. The key effective approach will entail drawing a drug guide for the patient to
always draw down the drugs consumed at any given time based on the mediation protocol
being followed. This will be evaluated on a periodic basis while assessing any adverse effects
faced by the patient. Further continues patient education on progress will be key. Conducting
regular visits to assess the level of knowledge awareness is crucial in managing the patient
state and stabilizing the seizure episodes hence empowering the patient for positive patient
outcome.

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Conclusion
It is paramount to note that a clinical reasoning cycle is an effective tool for the nurse in
making a key decision in the overall care process. This is key significant in ensuring that the
health care professionals are able to communicate effectively with the patient thus offering best
guidance for the patient. Utilizing the key nursing priorities of the patient of enhancing patient
knowledge and maintaining a safe environment are the priority care plans which are beneficial
for patient Jenny in her state. This makes the overall effect of the care process to be effective in
making the best’s efforts towards achieving the needed health state for the patient.

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