Acute and Life Threatening Life Conditions

This document discusses acute and life-threatening conditions caused by urinary tract infections and urosepsis. It explains the symptoms, causes, and complications of these conditions. It also highlights the importance of respiratory functioning and acidosis management in such cases. The document provides insights into the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines for nursing care and treatment of such conditions. It is a valuable resource for students and professionals in the medical field.

Running head: ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING LIFE CONDITIONS
ACUTE AND LFIE THREATENING LIFE CONDITIONS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University
Author note:

1ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
Question 1
Taking insights from scenario, it can be observed that the patient Mr. Kirkman is inflicted
with urinary tract infections, which upon progression, has aggravated to the life-threatening
condition of urosepsis. The disease, urinary tract infection, commonly abbreviated to UTI, is a
result of pathogens and microbial strains infiltrating the urinary tract resulting in disruptive
symptoms, especially pertaining the urination and renal functioning. Without provision of timely
and robust treatment, symptoms of UTI increase in severity, as a result of the microbial strains
disseminating from the urinary bladder to the ureters, and throughout the urinary tract towards
the kidneys further leading to compromise in the normal functioning of the kidneys (Kline &
Lewis, 2016). An individual acquires symptoms of UTI after engaging in unhygienic excretory
or grooming habits, such as wiping incorrectly after urination, engaging in urination across
insanitary conditions or practicing sexual intercourse without usage of protection. This results in
microbial colonies like bacteria infecting the urinary balder and tract resulting in symptoms like
feelings of burning, irritation, inadequate emptying during urinary as well as release of urine
with abnormal characteristics like excessive darkening or thickness in terms of concentration.
Additional symptoms include a recurrent in the lower abdomen, which radiates surrounding the
right flank and kidney (Whiteside et al., 2015). Indeed such symptoms can be observed and
related extensively to the case scenario of Mr. Kirkman.
In response to the infection, the immunological processes of the human body is activated
resulting in defense mechanism to mitigate the impending infection. However, inadequacy in
terms of treatment provision coupled with emergence of symptoms of inflammatory and
oxidative stress results in loss of immune functioning and pathogenic progression towards the

2ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
renal symptoms leading to hindered kidney processes of excretion (Vigil & Hickling, 2016).
Kidneys play a key role in the removal of harmful nitrogenous wastes and urea from the body
and hence, loss of their functioning disrupts this process. Such detrimental symptoms can be
observed extensively in Mr. Kirkman, in the form of his elevated rates of urea, sodium,
potassium and creatinine in serum as compare, which are abnormal as per normal reference
standards hence indicated renal functioning loss due to pathogenic infection (Conover et al.,
2016).
Further, UTI can aggravate to fatal symptoms of urosepsis when the pathogenic strains
concerned proliferate to the blood stream resulting in infection to other essential organs of the
body. Such symptoms exert inflammatory and immune responses in the individual resulting in
secretion of T-cells for defense. However, such immune processes evoke alterations in the
response of the human leading to abnormal immune functioning further triggering a cascading
mechanism associated with damage to multiple organs and hence, septic shock (Peach et al.,
2016). Such abnormalities result in symptoms of sepsis and hence alterations in mental states,
excessively high rates of respiration and abnormal rates of hypotension. Such fatal symptoms can
be identified and associated with the scenario of Mr. Kirkman, such as impairment in cognition,
slurring of speech, increased body temperatures, abnormal hypotension and excessively high
respiration rate. Such symptoms have contributed to oxygen deprivation and his present state of
hypoxia, flushed face and reduced partial pressure of oxygen (Schneeberger, Holleman &
Geerlings, 2016).

3ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
Question 2
The Australian Therapeutic Guidelines recommends restoration of adequate respiratory
functioning as a major priority of nursing for the management of possible signs of hypoxia and
respiratory failure in acute threatening life conditions. As per the case study, it can be observed
that Mr. Kirkman’s respiration is significantly compromised as indicated by his respiratory and
oxygen saturated rates (Coggon et al., 2018). It is worthwhile to note that without adequate
administration of appropriate oxygen, the body tissues will be significantly deprived of essential
nutrients and coupled with infection from microbial strains from the urinary tract to the
surrounding tissues and organs, Mr. Kirkman may succumb to his injuries. Lack of adequate and
timely treatment of the same will result in septic shock, hypoxia, inadequate oxygen and death.
Hence, the rationale behind selecting treatment of Mr. Kirkman’s respiratory condition is the
prevention of hypoxia emerging as a result of inadequate oxygen saturation to surrounding vital
organs of the body (Lockhart et al., 2018).
Taking insights from the above, the nurse must hence, aim to successfully adhere to this
care priority, by following the recommendations as per the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines,
and hence, administer oxygen therapy. Hence, as per this therapy, the nurse will be required to
provide oxygen administration externally to prevent further progression of hypoxia, oxygen
deprivation in oxygen and abnormal elimination of carbon dioxide (Shakur, Whitehall & Mudgil,
2019). This will first require the nurse to comply principles of collaborative care and engage in
multidisciplinary approach by working closely with Mr. Kirkman’s practitioner and hence
administer 1.4 liters of oxygen per minute via nasal prongs to restore normal breathing rates,
affected due to asthmatic airway constriction and decreased flow of air. In addition to the above,
the nurse will also be required to ensure management of Mr. Kirkman’s symptoms of asthma in

4ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
the care plan and also prevent any further infections by ensuring that invasive equipment like
catheters are free from infection and are administered as per standard recommendations of time
and sanitation associated with catheter usage (Ryanto et al., 2019).
Question 3
As per the results indicating blood gas levels of Mr. Kirkman, it can be observed that he
is inflicted with a state of acidosis accompanied by poor compensation to mitigate the same. The
standard range of pH in the human body ranges from 7.35 to 7.45. A reduction in pH at levels
lower than normal, is associated with harmful symptoms such as acidosis and is associated
effects in protein loss and detrimental effects on functioning of the digestive and immune
system. This occurs due to denaturation as result of acidic environments resulting in loss of
structural components of essential enzymes (Khan et al., 2019). During acidosis, the body exerts
compensatory mechanisms such as increase in the inhalation of carbon dioxide by the lungs
leading to formulation of buffers like bicarbonate to ensure alkalosis for mitigation of the same.
Additionally, compensatory mechanisms are also exerted by the kidneys resulting in urinary
excretion of hydrogen ions. Recent conditions of urosepsis results in disturbances in the
functioning of the kidneys leading to inability to excrete hydrogen ions in the blood (Carella &
de Morais, 2017). Mr. Kirkman’s renal functioning is already disturbed as event in his elevated
levels of urea which further indicates renal inabilities to excrete hydrogen further leading to
lower than normal pH. Additionally, it must be remembered that Mr. Kirkman respiratory
functioning has already been comprmsied and has been previously inflicted with chronic
bronchitis and habits of smoking which will further disrupt his ability to inhale carbon dioxide
and hence, produce compensatory buffers like bicarbonates. This can be observed in his
abnormally low rates of bicarbonate (Patel & Sharma, 2019). Further, the reports indicate that

5ACUTE AND LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
Mr. Kirkman also had abnormally high blood levels of lactate – a key compensatory buffering
helpful for the mitigation of acidosis. Excessively high levels of lactate indicates abnormally low
rates of oxygen in blood, inadequate rates of oxygenation and inadequacies in terms of tissue
perfusion. This can be related to the recent condition of urosepsis observed in Mr. Kirman which
is associated with microbial strain associated damage to organs and hence, inabilities to perform
mechanism of compensation. Hence, in addition to administration of antibiotic therapy for
microbial infection prevention, the nurse must also prioritize mitigation of state of acidosis, and
management of harmful lifestyle habits as well as lung functioning. Lack of prioritization of the
same, will aggravate the present condition of the patient, by resulting in denaturation of proteins,
increments in catabolic states, immunological loss and changes in the mental functioning
(Ferretti et al., 2018).

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