Nursing Assignment on Gastroenteritis: Activities of Living and Nursing Care Plan

Running head: GASTROENTERITIS 1
NURSING ASSIGNMENT
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GASTROENTERITIS 2
Introduction
Human medical conditions and illnesses impacts on the activities of living and the
general mechanisms of functioning of the patient. The essay will focus on the case study of
Mr Keith, an 86-year old male patient who has been admitted to the medical with diagnoses
of dehydration and gastroenteritis. He has an history of diarrhoea and abdominal cramping
for two days. He has an history of vomiting for one day. Currently, Mr. Keith is presenting
with watery diarrhoea, abdominal pain, a mild temperature of 37.70 C, mild dehydration, and
headache. Additionally, he also has complaints of lethargy. With regard to the diagnosis,
presenting complaints, and manifestations in the case study, the essay will discuss the
Activities of Living in relation to the condition of the patient. The essay will discuss three
Activities of Living providing an overview of how they may be impacted by the patient’s
illness and diagnosis.
The essay will discuss the assessment of Mr. Keith’s in relation to the identified three
Activities of Living including the kind of care and interventions would be provided and
implemented to Mr. Keith. The three Activities that will be discussed in the essay are eating
and drinking, elimination, and personal cleaning and dressing. The essay will develop a
nursing care plan for the patient including one issue in relation to every Activity of Living.
Therefore, the nursing care plan will have three issues arising from the case study. In the
development of the nursing care plan, the essay will formulate a goal or plan for the
improvement of every issue including the identification of the strategies that can be
implemented to meet each goal or plan. Lastly, the essay will discuss the evaluative measures
or strategies that will be implemented in the determination of whether each goal or plan was
met or not.

GASTROENTERITIS 3
Activities of Living (AoLs)
Gastroenteritis which is also called infectious diarrhea, is the inflammation of the
humans’ gastrointestinal tract particularly the small intestines and the stomach.
Gastroenteritis can be caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites which are usually invasive. The
pathogens cause cell damage and produce toxins leading to various manifestations seen in a
patient with gastroenteritis. In most instances, the virus that is responsible for gastroenteritis
is norovirus. The condition can also be attributed to food poisoning following bacterial
infection. Some of the common signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis include sudden and
watery diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting which is sometimes projectile, and mild fever.
Other additional signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis include lack of energy, lethargy, loss
of appetite, headaches, aching limbs, and feeling of sickness (Biagi et al., 2012).
Activities of Living are essential in an individual’s life since they maximumly
promote independence. They are used in the assessment of the relative independence of an
individual or the potential for independence for determination of the interventions that are
appropriate in increasing his or her level of independence (Ahmed et al., 2014). Additionally,
the assessment of the Activities of Living in an individual helps in the identification of any
ongoing support that should be provided the patient for the compensation of his dependency.
Some of the major activities of living include maintenance of a safe environment,
breathing, communication, mobilisation, eating and drinking, sleeping, and elimination
(Bunn, Jimoh, Wilsher, & Hooper,2015). Other activities of living that are essential in the life
of the patient include washing and dressing, controlling temperature, expression of sexuality,
working and playing, and death and dying. The Activities of Living are influences by a wide
range of factors namely biological, sociocultural, psychological, politico-economic,
environmental, and sociocultural factors (Labbe, & Juneja, 2013).

GASTROENTERITIS 4
Activity of Living 1: Eating and drinking
Gastroenteritis affects eating and drinking based on its signs and symptoms like
degradation, loss of appetite, watery diarrhoea, vomiting, and lethargy. In the initial stages of
gastroenteritis, the patient is usually at a great risk of dehydration. The significant risk of
dehydration in gastroenteritis is often attributed to the excessive loss of body fluids and
electrolytes through vomiting and diarrhea (Hall, Curns, McDonald, Parashar, & Lopman,
2012).
Once the patient is experiencing diarrhea and vomiting, he may not be in a position to
comfortably use much fluids or food orally. The patient may have small oral intakes that may
reduce the symptoms. Loss of appetite by the patient largely impacts his nutritional and
feeding patterns resulting in poor feeding leading to weight loss. The patient may have avoid
eating and drinking due to the fear of vomiting and diarrhea. The abdominal pain also reduces
the patient’s desire for eating and drinking hence causing inadequate nutrition which is less
that the body requirements or needs (Parashar, Nelson, & Kang, 2013).
The inadequate fluid intake may consequently on the urinary functioning leading to
low or no urine output by the patient. The lack of energy and lethargy in gastroenteritis may
make the patient unable to prepare his own meals and take drinks. He may need assistance in
the preparation and intake of fluids and drinks. Gastroenteritis also impairs the general
functioning of the patient’s body system leading the feeling of sickness which consequently
impairs his level of appetites resulting in reduced food and fluid intake. Therefore,
gastroenteritis affects eating and drinking since the patient may withdraw from meals based
on the physiological, biological, and psychological factors associated with the disease (Park,
Richardson, Holleman, & Larson, 2013).
The activity of Living 2: Elimination