Recognizing Symptoms If you work triage, you are expected to be good at recognizing symptoms in patients coming in to be seen in the emergency room. However, on other floors it is important to also be aware of symptoms in patients. Doctors make rounds, generally one time per day, and nurses are there either 8 or 12 hours per day. You will see the patient multiple times a day, and your input and observation could save a life. Common Symptoms Test yourself; do you know what these symptoms could indicate? A 60-year-old man was admitted with a severe headache earlier in the day. He is scheduled for an MRI tomorrow. On your last visit to his room, he seemed slightly confused, which was not the case earlier. You question if he is ok, and he nods yes. You then pose a question that requires a yes or no answer, and his speech is slightly slurred. Closer observation shows one eye is slightly droopy. -
A 44-year-old female is admitted to the female ward in preparation for a hysterectomy the following day. She has explained that her periods are out of control, and she is unable to function due to the heavy nature of them. She also says that she is currently menstruating, and has been for 3 weeks. She later hit the call button while in the restroom, asking for help back to bed. Considering she walked in on her own, it was slightly unusual. You help her back to bed, and notice she seems very weak and unstable. She gets in bed and says she is fine, just very light-headed. Upon further evaluation, you see her face is very white, no color, and touching her fingernails reveals no discoloration.
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A 35-year-old female is admitted in preparation for gallbladder removal the following day. As the night progresses, she seems more and more agitated. At 11 pm she hit the call button saying she is having a heart attack. Is she right?
Related: Nursing Styles and Flexibility How many did you get right? There is very little doubt on this one, if you suspected a stroke, you are correct. Slurred speech, severe headache, drooping on one side of the face is all symptoms of a stroke and should be treated immediately. In this case, you would call for a physician.
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If you feel this woman's life is in immediate danger, you are correct. She could hemorrhage, and it could occur quickly depending on how severe her condition is. A doctor should be paged immediately.
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It's uncommon for a 35-year-old woman to have a heart attack, but certainly not impossible, so that must be ruled out first. There is another condition more likely the case, and it mimics the symptoms of a heart attack. The later it got, the more nervous the patient became. She suffered a severe anxiety attack. After taking deep breaths, and a physician administering an anti-anxiety medication she was fine.
These are simple and easily recognizable conditions that most nurses would catch. The more complex the condition, the harder it may be to recognize. Of course, you are not a doctor, and diagnosing is not your job, however, if you can recognize a potential problem with a patient, you can describe it to the physician with more expertise. You may be able to recognize a potential life threatening condition, which could be reversed if there is a quick reaction time. Related: Making Patients Feel Comfortable No one expects a nurse to be on the lookout 24/7, but the recognition of a serious condition can continue outside of hospital walls. If you happen to be in a grocery store and notice a person with obvious signs of a problem requiring immediate treatment, you could instruct someone to call 911, you just may save a life, and you are not even at work. Nurses are observant and caring, which makes them the ideal group to look after others. A special thanks to all nurses! Related: Registered Nurse Marie Lois Haran, RN, MSN, will be Honorably Mentioned in the Worldwide Leaders in Healthcare Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter