Diabetes Mellitus Case Study (45 min)
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Study Tools For Diabetes Mellitus Case Study (45 min)
Outline
Miss Matthews is a 16-year-old female who is brought to the emergency department after collapsing at school. She is currently alert, but pale and weak. A blood glucose performed by the paramedics read meter Max or high. Upon further questioning, the parents report that their daughter has been weak a lot lately. Miss Matthews reports but she’s always hot and exhausted. She reports a 10-pound weight loss over the last 2 months despite eating all the time and agrees that she has been thirsty and peeing a lot. The nurse notes Kussmaul respirations and fruity breath. A serum glucose revealed that Miss Matthews’ blood glucose is 523 mg/dL, and her urine was positive for ketones. The provider explains that she is likely a diabetic. Her parents are shocked as she has always been a healthy and athletic child. The parents ask the nurse “ How can she be diabetic when she is so skinny and exercises all the time? Miss Matthews is treated for diabetic ketoacidosis over the next 2 days and is now feeling much better. The diabetic nurse educator comes by to teach Miss Matthews how to self-administer SubQ insulin using an insulin pen. Miss Matthews says “I can’t stand needles, isn’t there a pill I can take instead?” Miss Matthews is able to demonstrate proper technique for glucose monitoring and self-administration of insulin with the insulin pen. Her blood glucose levels are stable between 140 and 180 mg/dL, and the provider has said that she could go home today. When you start a FREE trial you gain access to the full outline as well as:
What additional nursing assessments should be performed at this time?
What history questions would you like to ask of the patient and/or her parents?
What diagnostic tests should be run for Miss Matthews?
What is an appropriate response by the nurse?
What treatments do you expect to be ordered for Miss Matthews at this time?
What is the most appropriate response by the nurse?
What options does Miss Matthews have for insulin administration?
In addition to the insulin education, she has already received, what other education topics should be included in discharge teaching for Miss Matthews?
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Nursing Case Studies
This nursing case study course is designed to help nursing students build critical thinking. Each case study was written by experienced nurses with first hand knowledge of the “real-world” disease process. To help you increase your nursing clinical judgement (critical thinking), each case study includes answers laid out by Blooms Taxonomy to help you see that you are progressing to clinical analysis.
We encourage you to read the case study and really through the “critical thinking checks” as this is where the real learning occurs. If you get tripped up by a specific question, no worries, just dig into an associated lesson on the topic and reinforce your understanding. In the end, that is what nursing case studies are all about – growing in your clinical judgement.
