Chapter 35, Problem 1RP

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

How and why would the student nurse respond to this situation?

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

The student nurse must be truthful to the patient’s husband that she still have not got that much experience and she ensures to refer him to her charge nurse, who got experiences in this field.  

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The adequacy of the skills for professional practice and what that is tell about the student nurse.

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

The nursing student still not an Advance Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) to become nurse counselor or a charge nurse to handle this situation or to give counselling to the patient’s family. The student nurse needs more knowledge and experience to handle and explain these type of situations.   

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

Whether to agree with the nursing student’s criteria to evaluate successful outcome?

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

The nursing student did a corrective action of referring the patient’s husband to the charge nurse. Since, the student nurse knows it is unethical to provide the patient’s family with wrong information and patient’s safety shall be compromised.

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

Whether there are any alternative criteria that is appropriate to use?

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

• The nursing student could asked the patient that she will be back after finding out about his query. The nursing student could have researched, or asked her senior nurses to gain knowledge.
• The student could have requested an ethics consultant regarding the husband’s query.

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

Whether the nursing student meet her criteria?

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

The nursing student did meet her criteria by referring the patient’s husband to the charge nurse who has experience and knowledge in these types of issue and she will certainly guide the patient’s husband.

Summary Introduction

To discuss:

The knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed by nursing student to develop to continuously improve quality and safety in a situation for patients like Mrs. G?

Case summary:

The nursing student is caring for a 67-year-old female patient Mrs. G, who is admitted in a long-term care facility for the end stages of advanced dementia. The patient cannot able to swallow and has a record of aspiration pneumonia and several hospitalizations in the past year. For the past six weeks, the patient is given enteral feeding from percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube (PEG). The family of Mrs. G is very devoted to her and visits her daily in the long-term facility. The patient’s Husband Mr. G asked the student nurse, if we withdraw the tube she will be starved to death, isn’t she?. The student nurse have not got such experiences and don’t know how respond to the patient’s husband’s query.

Explanation of Solution

• The nursing student should ensure that patient’s needs are meet.
• The nursing student should have good communication skills to interact and give counselling to the patient’s family.
• The nursing student should ensure that the patient’s safety is not compromised by providing unethical answer.
• The nursing student should fully competent in the field she gives care to the patients.