Managing Deterioration: Clinical Decision Making and Interventions

Managing Deterioration
Students will apply their
clinical reasoning skills and
critically examine a case study
where a person experiences a
deteriorat

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
CLINICAL DECISION MAKING (CDM).....................................................................................3
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY..................................................................................................................5
CLINICAL INTERVENTION........................................................................................................5
CONCEPT MAP.............................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Deterioration occurs mostly in the medical surgical units because the nurses do not pay
much attention to the condition of the patient but involves in making direct contact with them.
This must be analysed that when the person is becoming critically ill and then instant response
must be taken (Kozlowski and et.al., 2017). This report will shed light on the case study of 85
year old woman Olga Novak and the way in which her health was deteriorating. The clinical
decision making will also be discussed involving her problem identification and the clinical
review. The pathophysiology and the clinical interventions will also be described in detail. This
will be evidenced by making a concept map for the case.
CLINICAL DECISION MAKING (CDM)
CDM is basically a problem solving process in which the information of the patient is
gathered and analysed and decisions are taken accordingly in order to improve the outcomes as
well as improves the quality of care given to the patients. There are various steps in the CDM
which starts with diagnosis followed by assessing the severity and ends with management. This
also helps in assessing the risks of the adverse outcome due to the inappropriate management and
also of the harmful effects due to the therapeutic interventions (Yang, Steinfeld and Zimmerman,
2019). The history of the patient is also needed along with the physical examinations. This
sometimes becomes difficult because one disease can lead to many different signs and
symptoms.
In the present case, Olga Novak was a woman who was 85 years old was living alone and also
taking the aged care package of level 1. This can be analysed that when she was of 40 years, she
suffered from osteoarthritis which is basically a common form of arthritis (Chow and Chin,
2020). Due to this, the joints of knees, hands, spine and hips of the lady were damaged. Though
she was given the medication of Panadol 625 mg but this disease is degenerative which worsens
with the increasing age. The pain due to stiffness in the joints is common in this. Due to this, the
depression and sleep disturbances can also take place. There was no one with her to assist her
with all the needs which is why she was helpless. Her son and daughter also come only once in a
week and fulfils her financial needs. She was a widow, which is why there was no one to support
her mentally as well as physically. This is why; she was not stable mentally because no one was
there with her to share her problems.
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