Nursing: Case Scenarios and Care for Postnatal Depression

Running head: NURSING
Nursing
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NURSING
Case scenario 1
1.
The patient is to be observed for the vital signs and the overall body functioning. The
observations would involve diarrhea, abdominal pain and bleeding. It would be important to
establish a therapeutic relationship with the patient to provide her emotional support (London et
al. 2016).
2.
a. Gestation- gestation is the process or period of intrauterine formation of the child from the
time of conception through birth (London et al. 2014).
b. Gravida- It is the number of times a women has been pregnant regardless of whether the
pregnancies were interrupted or resulted in a live birth.
c. Parity- It is the number of pregnancies >20 weeks.
d. Contractions- It is the shortening of the uterine muscles in women that occurs at intervals
before and during childbirth.
e. placenta-it is the organ connecting the fetus to the uterine wall in women allowing thermo-
regulation, nutrient uptake, gas exchange and waste elimination through the blood supply of the
mother. It also helps in fighting against infections and producing hormones supporting
pregnancy (Leifer 2015).

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NURSING
f. fetus-in case of human pregnancy, fetus is the prenatal human between the embryonic state and
birth, mainly after eight weeks of conception.
g. preterm infant-A premature infant is a baby whose birth is before 37 completed weeks of
gestation that is more than 3 weeks before the due date of delivery (London et al. 2016).
h. Estimation date of delivery-it is the date estimated on which the pregnant women would
expectedly suffer spontaneous onset of labor
i. Rupture of membranes- Amnirrhexis or rupture of membrane is the rupture of the amniotic sac
occurring spontaneously during or at the initial stage of labor (London et al. 2014).
j. Established labour- it is the period during which there is dilation of the cervix from four to ten
cms and the pregnant women experiences painful and regular contraction.
k. Episiotomy- it is the surgical opening at the entry point of the vagina at the time of childbirth
to support difficulty delivery through prevention of tissue rupture.
l. Fundus- it is the upper part of the uterus opposite to the cervix (Linnard-Palmer and Coats
2016).
m. Perineal tear- it is the laceration of the soft tissues such as skin which act as the separating
point between the anus and the vagina, occurring due to childbirth straining the perneum.
n. Apgar score- it is the measurement of the physical condition of a newborn baby obtained by
adding points for respiratory rate, heart rate, muscle tone skin coloration and response to
stimulation, with the score of ten representing the best possible condition (Leifer 2015).
o. Fontanelles- it is an anatomical feature found in the infant human skull that contains the soft
membranous gaps existing between cranial bones responsible for the calvaria of the individual.

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NURSING
p. Sutures- it is a row of medical stitches responsible for holding in place the edges of a surgical
incision (London et al. 2015).
q. Meconium- It is the earliest form of mammalian infant stool formed from materials ingested
when the fetus was in the uterus such as mucus, bile, amniotic fluid and epithelial cells ( Linnard-
Palmer and Coats 2016).
r. Konakion-it is the pharmacological drug delivered to women undergoing childbirth for
preventing low level of blood clotting factors with the aim of preventing heavy bleeding after
childbirth
s. Postdates-post dates pregnancy are the ones extending to 42 weeks of gestation and at time
more than that, leading to fetal complications (Bindler et al. 2017).
3.
The mother’s vital signs are to be monitored regularly and blood loss is to be checked
appropriately. Early signs of infection are to be assessed for. Further, a nutritional diet is to be
provided to her for addressing the demands of physical health. Lastly, emotional support is to be
provided for avoiding post natal depression and anxiety (Leifer 2015).
4.
The baby is to be regularly assessed for signs of fits, bleeding, breathing difficulty, diarrhea and
discoloration of skin. Signs of infection are also to be monitored and the infant is to be placed in
a safe and contamination free environment.
5. A new born has short legs and distended torsos. Further, they have big heads and no necks.
Lastly, they have less hair on their heads (Bindler et al. 2017).