Managing Epilepsy: A Case Study of Jenny Peterson

This article presents a case study of Jenny Peterson who was diagnosed with epilepsy after a road accident. It discusses managing epilepsy, educating patients and families, and lifestyle changes to prevent seizures. The article is relevant for healthcare professionals and patients with epilepsy. The document type is a case study, and the assignment type is not mentioned. The subject is healthcare, and the course code, course name, and college/university are not mentioned.

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Epilepsy is a chronic disorder that usually causes recurrence of a sudden rush of electrical
activity in our brain which is well described as a seizure. The seizures are generalized to two categories
mild seizure which is usually not easy to be recognized and usually last for a few seconds where one lack
awareness. The stronger seizures usually cause involuntary muscle contraction which is harmless and
temporary, stronger seizure usually lasts from few seconds to several minutes. Epilepsy mostly affects
young children and older adult, epilepsy usually occurs due to head injury for example if someone is
involved in an accident and he or she suffers a head injury. This case study has been created to observe
an outdoor patient who was involved in a road accident and she suffered a head injury.
In the shade of taking to the focus of Jenny Peterson she had been diagnosed with epilepsy six
months ago, and currently, she had been on outpatient neurology to stabilize her condition. She is a
single parent of one child called samara .jenny parents live nearby just two suburbs away from where
she stay, and they do help her with babysitting anytime Jenny is at work. Jenny is middle-level earner
working as a receptionist, and the divorced husband is not supportive of both financially and
emotionally. Jenny either reports working in the during early morning hours or late in the evening
depending on her schedule. From her story, we can see how busy schedule the patient is encrypted to,
and all these factors need to be put under consideration in order to come up with the best way of
managing her epilepsy. Here we are going to use the raw facts that have been provided as outlined in
the critical reasoning cycle. Both samara and the family also need to be put on consideration.
Clinical reasoning cycle usually offers manuals script for health professionals. It enables one to
be cared for according to their own flexibility and focusing on their needs (Andersen et al., 2018). The
purpose of this paper is to present a clear discussion and also justification on how two health care
priorities with relation to Jenny. jenny whose case which has been diagnosing with epilepsy the two

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health care priorities for jenny are that she needs to have full knowledge about her condition and
adjustment to a new life in order to ensure seizure does not reoccur when she is fully recovering.
The clinical reasoning cycle usually enquires a background of clear evidence and research. The
nurse designated to the patient should be able to differentiate some contextual knowledge and skills
applied to a different patient (olete et al., 2018). Jenny should take her medication but also she needs
to b be cared for by the family member to ensure there is smooth r transition into her medication.
Through the involvement of community nurse, it ensures that there is an increase in awareness
concerning the patient living with epilepsy in the community and also ensure the issue of stigmatization
is well dealt (Bain et al., 2018). This will ensure that the patient is able to be accepted within the family
and reduce the feeling of being lonely and neglected. Additionally, the nurse will able to educate the
The first priority that I had to initiate as a community nurse for Jenny and the family was
educating them more information in relation to epilepsy (Zhang et al.,2018). I identify that they had little
knowledge about epilepsy and how to handle the issue in case the nursing care are not within the
vicinity of the patient. Family education for patient and family plays a key role in ensuring there is a
successful management of epilepsy (Garcia et al., 2018). There is confirmation that training aimed at
family member ensure there is greater knowledge of and ability that problem is solved, higher in
confidence in the handling of epilepsy, good in emotional handling and it ensures there are coordination
and unity in within family in managing the health care requirements for the patient.
The main objective for this priority is to ensure that both the patient and the family are well
informed about the condition. Jenny had complained that she wanted more information about
regarding the aspect of the disease, treatment, and management though she had earlier been provided
with indicators cover topic that was meant she is able to understand her condition clearly, the
treatment that she will undergo, and possibly the sides effects.

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Nurses are given skills to ensure they channel correct information to the patient and the family. In most
scenarios patient tends to give more information about their condition to their caregiver compared to
the caregiver (Kaiser et al., 2018). This ensures that the nurse develops a trusted relationship with the
patient. The advantages of patient education ensure there is improvement of patient handling of the
disease and also ensures there is emotional support from family member and confidence in treatment
response from the patient.
Through education and proper communication, it ensures there is reduce of stigmatization
where people within the community are able to understand that the patient with epilepsy are not
disabled and can be treated just like normal people on the daily activity(Koeleman 2018). Additionally, it
also ensures that the patient is handled with care, in case of the patient experience seizure in a public
place how they can operate first aid and provide the patient does not an injury and they are attending
on time by the medical team.
The use of antiepileptic medication on women usually alters the menstrual cycle and also
fertility and pregnant women (Stockings et al., 2018). Through educating jenny she will be able to
understand that nothing strange is happening in her body and it is only the effect of the medication that
has altered her cycle.
The second priority has a community nurse will ensure that there is a slight change of life for
Jenny in order to ensure there is no possibility of occurrence of a seizure(Kotwas et al., 2018). It is
always difficult for people to adhere to minor changes in lifestyle which usually ensure that seizure does
not occur again. First, Jenny was supposed to do away with caffeine and high energy drink.
Caffeine which usually is found in tea, coffee, and some diet pills when taken in large amount
can lead to an increase of seizure to people who are affected with epilepsy. Sometimes caffeine reduces
the effect of antiepileptic medication and sometimes alters the way the person sleeps so for precaution
purposes it was best for her to avoid caffeine at list until when she is fully ill. High energy drinks also

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which usually contain a high content of caffeine was to be avoided (Wilmshurst et al., 2018). This energy
drinks usually contain ingredients like guarana, amino acid, and taurine the incorporation of this drink
may lead to a mental state.
Taking of certain fruits like grapes and Seville oranges which contains chemical can affect the
way body absorbs and break down some medication which is meant to reduce seizure patient is always
advised to avoid this kind of fruit when under medication (Meiron et al., 2018). Getting enough sleep
during the night ensures that the patients are able to reduce the occurrence of a seizure.
Jenny complained that she was experiencing stress, fatigue and lack of sleep which may end up
in triggering of her seizure. People with seizure usually experience day time sleep which is usually
resulting from taking of medication (Samarasekera et al., 2018). It is advice that patient with epilepsy to
have a normal sleep which is supposed to about 7-8 hours this should happen on a daily basis.
It is also good that the patient who is diagnosed with epilepsy should avoid using a personal vehicle
when traveling. instead, they have to use the public vehicle when the patients are first diagnosed with
epilepsy they are usually advised not drive by themselves cause it can cause loss of awareness and until
they are fully recovered they will not use the vehicle for about one year(Reilly et al., 2018). The family
member of the patient ought to be aware and ensure that person is being driven to work by one of the
family or use the public means.
Through initiating of changes in lifestyle jenny seizure was able to reduce and also it ensures
that her medication was working accordingly (Myers et al., 2018). The progress was positive also she
would get enough sleep during night time. This progress made by ensures that in a couple of months she
will be back on track to continue with her normal activity.
In conclusion, the use of critical thinking is very useful in delivering quality service to the patient
the critical reasoning cycle helps nurse and doctor to diagnose and treat patients with the best

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medication hence getting a positive result; it is in great importance that nurses master this skill to
perform their duties with effectiveness.

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