Pathophysiology

Student Name:

Put your name here

Disorder/Disease:

Write the name of your chosen disease/disorder

Alterations in Health (Diagnosis)

Pathophysiology Related to Client Problem

Health Promotion and Disease Prevention

What medical diagnosis might you see? What nursing diagnosis would you use?

What’s happening in the body on a cellular level that’s contributing to the disease/disorder?

How could we potentially prevent this disease/disorder from happening? (Ex: safety equipment, diet/exercise, screening, etc.)

ASSESSMENT

Risk Factors

Expected Findings

This is the etiology- what factors might have contributed to this disease/disorder? Things in the environment? Genetics? Injury?

These are the signs/symptoms associated with your chosen disease/disorder. Bullet points are ok.

Laboratory Tests

Diagnostic Procedures

What lab expectations might show alterations related to your chosen disease/disorder. How might the labs be affected (Ex: BUN elevated, or platelets < 50,000)

What sort of diagnostic procedures might be used to identify or monitor your disorder (Ex: imaging (CT-scan, X-ray, MRI, upper endoscopy,

PATIENT-CENTERED CARE

Nursing Care

Medications

Client Education

Nurses do a LOT- positioning, pain management, IV insertion/care, assessing, wound care, airway management, nutrition, hygiene, ambulation, etc.

What classes of meds might be given- can you state why? (Ex: opioids for pain)

What should your client know? If their condition is chronic, does this change education?

Therapeutic Procedures

Interprofessional Care

Any medical or surgical procedure used to treat or manage the disease/disorder (Ex: Buck’s traction for alignment or arthroplasty to replace/remodel damaged joints)

What other members of the healthcare team may be involved? (PT, OT, SLP, etc…). Can you state why? (Ex: SLP for swallowing evaluation)

Complications

Safety Considerations

List any potential complications (i.e. compartment syndrome, sepsis, etc.), side effects to meds

Is your client a falls risk? Risk for infection? Risk for bleeding? Self-care deficit? Suicide risk?