Mr. Perkins, age 81, reports for an annual physical examination. He says he is doing well. His only known problem is osteoarthritis. He also requests a flu shot. He takes no medications other than Tylenol for arthritis pain. When he walks into the exam room, you notice that he is using a straight cane in his right hand. When you ask about the cane, he says he began using the cane because the pain in his right hip had increased significantly over the past 6 months.
Review the case study above and based on the provided information, think about a possible patient evaluation plan. As part of your evaluation planning, consider where the evaluation would take place, whether any other professionals or family members should be present, appropriate assessment tools and guidelines, and any other relevant information you may wish to address.
- Consider whether the assessment tool you identified was validated for use with this specific patient population and if this poses issues. Think about additional factors that might present issues when performing assessments focusing on the patient as a whole such as language, education, prosthetics, missing limbs, functional ability, fall screening/ prevention, etc.
- Consider immunization requirements that may be needed for this patient.
- Keep in mind that as nurse practitioners, whether you are in primary care or acute care, patient and family education is always important. This includes education about medications, tests, treatment plans, immunizations, diagnosis, and health promotion.
- CITE AND REFERENCE IN APA 7TH EDITION.
