Nursing Assignment: Application of Clinical Reasoning Cycle

Running head: NURSING ASSIGNMENT
NURSING ASSIGNMENT (APPLICATION OF CLINICAL REASONING CYCLE)
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Introduction
Application of clinical reasoning cycle in the critical health condition of patients helps
the nursing professionals to understand the priority of patient’s concerns that should be treated in
the care process (Dalton, Gee & Levett-Jones, 2015). In this aspect collaboration with
multidisciplinary teams helps to provide a holistic aspect to the care process. This paper
discusses about one such clinical scenario of Marcel Lever, a 70 year old farmer suffering from
obesity and hypoglycemic condition. Hence, by identifying two nursing priorities, interventions
would be applied.
Identification of nursing priorities
In the provided case study of Marcel Lever (70) is suffering from extreme obesity as he
weighs 116 kg with 180.5 cm height. As peer the case study the patient is at higher risk of
diabetes as with increased risk factors supported with obesity and past healthcare history of
hypertension, his family history includes both type 1 and type 2 disorder. He feels fatigue and
weak and as per American Diabetes Association (2016) these are the signs of extreme obesity
and associated higher risk of diabetes condition, due to which the patient may suffer from critical
health conditions. Identification of these was important because as per Levett- Jones clinical
reasoning cycle, detailed observation and assessment of their health condition helps the nursing
professionals to understand the healthcare cues addressing which could provide the patient with
effective relief. Therefore, in this case, Marcel’s detailed observation would lead to identification
of two nursing priorities for his health improvement.
The first priority that could be identified after detailed analysis of the patient’s health
condition would be his obesity and associated diabetes condition and increased hypoglycemic

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condition. As per the case scenario of Marcel, he suffers from hypoglycemic condition due to
which his blood glucose level is higher. Further, it was also noted that his overweight condition
increased his body’s ability to acquire diabetes. In this condition it should be mentioned that as
per American Diabetes Association (2016), patients who are suffering from diabetes are
generally associated with improper diet and hence, their blood glucose levels are found high.
Further, as per the case study, Marcel was retired from his job and was leading sedentary
lifestyle due to which he lacked the physical activity level which should be maintained to prevent
the occurrence of diabetes as per Eaton and Eaton (2017). Hence, his less active lifestyle, his
inability to control his diet and blood glucose level was one of the crucial healthcare
complications due to which his health condition affected (Geiss et al., 2017). Therefore, this high
blood glucose management would be the first priority as per the Levett- Jones clinical reasoning
cycle for Mr. Marcel.
It was seen that the patient was able to understand the urgency of his health condition, but
due to the lack of health literacy, he was unable to implement strategies provided for his weight
management and blood glucose levels (Heijmans et al., 2015). Further, the numerous types of
drugs provided to him for his health improvement was poorly managed by the patient and hence,
it required complete detailed assessment. As per Palumbo (2016), lack of healthcare literacy is
one of the crucial healthcare complication due to which patients are unable to stick to their
lifestyle and medication strategy provided by the healthcare professionals and hence, it should be
targeted in the health condition of Mr. Marcel as well. This would help him to understand the
importance of his medications and he would be able to implement strategies so that medication
could be precisely administered (Nouri & Rudd, 2015).