Download (title of paper not required) 1 (note page number beginning on cover

(title of paper not required)
1
(note page number beginning on cover sheet in the header.)
(formatting suggestions throughout the paper are in italics and underlined)
Elder Profile
Any Student
Walla Walla Community College
Instructor: As Instructed
(Walla Walla: Brenda Anderson or Grace Hiner)
(Clarkston: Carol McFadyen)
Due Date
(title of paper not required)
2
Abstract
(not required for this paper)
(title of paper not required)
3
Elder Profile
(title same as front sheet)
Client Introduction
(section heading – centered on line)
(The information in this paper is an example only. Your information must reflect your client)
SAM is a 75 year-old-male who lives at home with his wife, GEM. SAM owns his own farm but is
no longer actively farming. A son (RCM) lives next door and is currently managing the farm. RCM or his
wife visits daily to check on SAM and GEM. RCM’s three children also visit their grandparents frequently.
SAM and GEM also have a daughter who visits as often as possible. Both children are concerned about
their father’s declining health and worry that their mother will be unable to care for him in the future.
SAM states, “His health has been good until last year when his heart became weaker”. He
began taking medication to strengthen his heartbeat but currently finds he frequently feels weak and must
rest more often. His wife helps him with bathing and dressing because he gets “so tired”. Some days he
has difficulty eating because he does not feel hungry.
SAM’s medical diagnoses are Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, and Diabetes Mellitus,
Type II. The hypertension was diagnosed in 1984 and has been treated with medication since that time.
The diabetes is also treated with oral medication since being diagnosed in 1990.
(discuss all current health problems and indicate how long the client has been taking medication)
(title of paper not required)
4
Health Promotion
SAM believes health is a combination of physical ability and emotional stability. He is concerned
with his loss of ability to complete necessary activities. He was very active when he was farming and
views the need for his wife’s assistance as very threatening and a sign that he is getting “old”. He
continues to eat a healthy diet and rests when needed. SAM and GEM live in a single story house that is
well maintained. The one area identified for improvement in regards to home safety was in reducing
clutter on the back porch. RCM has agreed to assist his parents in disposing of the unnecessary items.
SAM currently takes Digoxin for “to strengthen his heart”, Lisinopril for “his blood pressure”, and
Glucotrol to “control his blood sugar”. He uses Tylenol “occasionally for headaches”. (quotation marks
indicate client statement) The actions, therapeutic effect, side effects, and nursing implications for each
drug will be discussed in the following paragraphs.
Digoxin: (another type of heading)
The generic name for Digoxin is Lanoxin. SAM takes 1.25 mgm
daily in the morning. Deglin and Vallerand (2009; pp 412) [one way of referencing in a paper] identify the
action of Digoxin as increasing the force of myocardical contraction and the therapeutic effect as an
increased cardiac output and slowing of the heart rate. The adverse reactions and most frequent side
effects are arrythmias, bradycardia, fatigue, anorexia, nausea, and vomiting, according to Deglin and
Vallerand.(2207; pp 413) (another way of referencing. Reference the whole paragraph if from same
source. This is just an illustration)
SAM knew that he needed to check his pulse each morning before he took the Digoxin. He
indicated he would notify his physician if his pulse were below sixty. He was not aware fatigue and
anorexia could be side effects of the medication. SAM was counseled to contact his physician
concerning his fatigue and anorexia.
(title of paper not required)
Lisinopril:
5
Lisinopril is an Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor. SAM takes 10 mgm twice a
day, in the morning and at bedtime. The action of Lisinopril is prevention of the production of
angiotension II and the therapeutic effect is lowering of blood pressure in hypertensive patients and
decreased preload and afterload in patients with congestive heart failure. The most frequent side effects
are cough, hypotension, loss of taste perception, protienuria, agranulocytosis, neutropenia, and
angiodedema.(Deglin & Vallerand;2009; pp 170-2) (another way of referencing)
SAM indicated he had wondered why his medication for his blood pressure was changed last
year during the time he was in the hospital for his heart. He remembered the doctor telling him that this
medication would help his heart as well as reduce his blood pressure when the therapeutic effects were
reviewed with him. SAM stated he had to have blood tests regularly and he visited his doctor as
scheduled.
Glucotrol:
The generic name for Glucotrol is glipzide. The action of Glucotrol is to lower blood
sugar by stimulating the release of insulin from the pancreas and increasing the sensitivity to insulin at
receptor sites. SAM takes 15 mgm of the XL form in the morning. The most frequent side effects are
photosensitivity and hypoglycemia. Aplastic anemia can occur with this medication and is another reason
blood work on SAM is of vital importance. (Deglin & Vallerand; 2009; pp648-650)
(I would continue to discuss SAM’s understanding of his medication and special considerations)
Tylenol:
SAM takes Tylenol or Acetaminophen for occasional headaches.
(cover same topics for all medications taken)
SAM takes all his morning medications with his breakfast. His wife reminds him if he does not lay
out his medications prior to beginning his meal. His wife also reviews all his pills to double check that he
has the right medications and the right number of pills. SAM knows how many pills of each color he takes
(title of paper not required)
6
in the morning and at bedtime. Insurance covers all but $$$ of SAM’s medications. He must pay for his
medications and then be reimbursed which is sometimes difficult.
Activity/Exercise
SAM is concerned about his declining energy level. He wonders if he will have to go to a “home”
if he continues to need more care. GEM is currently able to meet his needs for assistance but wonders if
she will also need more assistance as she gets older. SAM uses a cane to assist him with mobility. He
often has an unsteady gait and finds the cane helps him feel more stable.
Nutrition/Metabolic
For breakfast yesterday, SAM ate 1 bowl of oatmeal with milk and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar.
He drank 1 cup of coffee. He had a banana as a mid morning snack.
(This is only a partially completed example, continue to discuss all areas under each identified
heading)
End of Example
Summary
(title of paper not required)
7
References
Deglin, J. & Vallerand, A. (2009). Davis’s drug guide for nurses. 11th Edition. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis.
Jacobson, A., Myerscough, R.,DeLambo, K. Fleming, E. (2008) Patient’s perspective on total knee
replacement. American Journal of Nursing 108 (5). 54 - 63 (example of journal article)