Nursing Patients with Acute Illness Case Study 2022

Running head: NURSING PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ILLNESS
NURSING PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ILLNESS
Name of the Student:
Student ID:
Name of the University:
Date of Submission:
Author note:
Word Count: 1043 words excluding titles, cover page and references
Chosen Scenario: Case Study A

1NURSING PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ILLNESS
Introduction
The following essay will demonstrate on the role of the nurse and interprofessional care
team for the case study of Wendy, the potential impacts on her family and care staff as a result of
hospitalization and discharge and therapeutic interventions and referrals which can be considered
for management of the same.
Question 1
Part A
Upon reading the case, one immediate potential impact of hospitalization to Wendy is a
change in personality, as a result of the progressive metastasis of her brain cancer. Bran cancer or
any tumor in the brain has been evidenced to result in a host of behavioural symptoms and
changes in personality, such as reduced memory or difficulty in recalling or speaking certain
words or incidences, increased irritability and confusion, blurring of vision or reduced sensory
capabilities in terms of tasting, smelling and hearing, vomiting and nausea, fatigue or weakness,
reduced consciousness or seizures and feelings of drowsiness (Bolt, Baylor, Burns & Eadie,
2018).
Such symptoms are a prevalent adverse consequences associated with brain cancer and
occurs as a result of increased intercranial pressure. Increased intercranial pressure occurs as a
result of blocked flow of cerebrospinal fluid or excessive space occupied by the brain tumour
(Chandran & Perugu, 2019). Additional reasons which contribute to such symptoms of brain
cancer include treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy, symptoms of depression or
deficiencies of certain nutrients in the body (Vega, Dumas & Newhouse, 2017). From the case

2NURSING PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ILLNESS
study, it can be observed Wendy’s husband has reported repeated incidences of forgetfulness and
aggressive or non-compliant behaviour from his wife. Indeed, health professionals of her care
team have also warned Wendy’s family of the imminent possibility of personality changes in her
due to the fatal progression of her brain cancer. Additionally, Wendy’s condition of nutritional
deficiency is also demonstrated by her hypoglycaemic symptoms. Hence, such carcinogenic and
nutritional factors will result in an immediate potential impact of personality changes, aggressive
behavior and forgetfulness due to hospitalization in Wendy further contributing to possibility of
non-compliance to treatment and harmful consequences in terms of aggression or violence
directed towards herself or the staff of her care team.
Part B
One appropriate member of interprofessional team who can be engaged to support the
impact of personality changes identified in Wendy is a nutritionist. It is worthwhile to consider
that in addition to the health effects of brain cancer, Wendy is also affected by an abnormal drop
in her blood pressure. Considering that glucose is the only nutritional component to overcome
the blood brain barrier for utilization of the brain, personality, behavioural and cognitive changes
in Wendy due to combined effects of cancer and hypoglycaemia is not uncommon (Shrestha,
Shrestha, Prajapati, Karkee & Maharjan, 2017).). Further, cancer results in abnormalities in
metabolism and hence leads to increased hunger, weakness, deficiencies, catabolism and
cachexia in the affected individual (Martinez-Outschoorn, Peiris-Pages, Pestell, Sotgia & Lisanti,
2017).
Hence, from the above, it can be postulated that the role of a nutritionist is of utmost
importance in the interprofessional care team for Wendy. The nutritionist will have multiple
responsibilities of not only addressing the metabolic demands Wendy requires to fulfill due to