Introduction to Clinical Practice

Running head: INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE 1
Introduction to Clinical Practice
Student’s Name
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INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL PRACTICE 2
Section 1
A. John Ferguson is an 81-year-old patient who has experienced a fall over an hour ago that
has left him with bruises and cuts on his left arm and leg. The patient also has swollen and
painful left ankle. The first risk factor of falls is the patient’s advanced age as he is 81-years-old.
Elderly patients experience weakness in their lower limp which increases their chances of falling
(Nilsagård et al., 2015). Additionally, poor eyesight accompanies old age; thus an individual can
easily stumble over objects and fall.
The second risk factor is the medical history of the patient. Mr. Ferguson has suffered
from COPD in the past. The disease limits the flow of air and leads to the occurrence of
respiratory distress. COPD also has non-respiratory impacts that affect an individual’s mobility
and functions which elevate the risk of falling (Oliveira, McGinley, Lee, Irving, & Denehy,
2015). The patient also has a history of chronic knee pain due to osteoarthritis. The knee
complication leads to sensitivity in either knee or one knee leading to weakness and falling. The
patient also has a history of hypertension which causes a stroke. High blood pressure causes the
clotting of blood in the brain; hence interferes with the normal functioning of the central nervous
system (Steffel et al., 2016). The cerebellum is the section of the brain that controls movement.
Therefore, hypertension interferes with an individual's mobility.
B. The desired goal for the patient is to decrease the number and severity of the patient’s
falls. The activity is engaging and requires two months to complete.
C. The first intervention of decreasing the occurrence and severity of falls is recommending
proper equipment to assist the morbidity of the patient. The health facility should offer assistive
devices which include wheelchairs and walking sticks (Hewitt, Goodall, Clemson, Henwood, &
Refshauge, 2018). A four-wheel walker, rollator, and a float-chair help the patient to move from