Nursing SAO: Patient Assessment, Intervention, and Outcome Analysis

This assignment presents three Situation, Action, Outcome (SAO) analyses completed by a nursing student, Mary Kinn, focusing on critical care scenarios within a CCU. The first SAO details the care of a 70-year-old male patient with increasing shortness of breath, a history of atrial fibrillation, and end-stage cardiomyopathy. The student describes their actions, including initiating an echocardiogram, managing low blood pressure, and coordinating with the code blue team. The second SAO focuses on a 66-year-old patient post-aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass graft, experiencing chest pain and high blood pressure. The student details the assessment, interventions, and the use of a chest x-ray to diagnose aortic stenosis. The third SAO concerns an 80-year-old patient transferred from the ED to CCU with respiratory arrest and hypotension after a recent coronary artery graft surgery. Each SAO includes reflections on the student's actions, suggestions for improvement, and supporting literature references, demonstrating a critical understanding of patient care and clinical decision-making in acute cardiac situations. The assignments are validated by senior registered nurses. The student demonstrates an understanding of the importance of evidence-based practice and reflective learning in nursing.