The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

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The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

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Please write a 200-wored response to the discussion questtion?

A comprehensive physical assessment is the initial step in the nursing process, and guides the rest of the care plan for each individual patient (Armstrong & Mitchell, (2008). The nursing assessment process involves information gathering about a person’s overall status of health, as well as physical and emotional wellbeing. Armstrong & Mitchell, (2008) note that comprehensive and patient-centered assessments are the foundation upon which all nursing practice is built, as it allows us to deliver individualized patient care.

The healthy older adult will yield different assessment findings as compared to their healthy 35-year-old counterpart. Both middle and elderly adults will experience age-related changes as they go about life. However, there are some significant differences in assessment findings between these two age groups. As we age, our physiological processes begin to change, bringing about the possibility of developing certain ailments.

The following findings may appear in a healthy older adult patient and may not appear in a healthy 35-year-old patient or may appear to a varying degree. Neurological health concerns related to the aging process such as cognitive decline, functional impairment, confusion, and dementia are common in the older adult population and are oftentimes not addressed properly (Spirgiene & Brent, 2018).

Head and neck related findings of the older adult may include, presbyopia, difficulty hearing, limited range of motion. Cardiac function should be assessed, which may reveal a number of conditions including murmurs or gallops. Respiratory assessment including auscultation may reveal fine crackles, rails, or wheezing. GI assessment including palpation and auscultation may reveal hypoactive bowel sounds as delayed gastric emptying occurs. Musculoskeletal system assessment may reveal physical deformities such as Heberden nodes, Swan-neck deformity or kyphosis, joint swelling/tenderness, decreased range of motion, decreased muscle strength, limited ability to complete ADL’s, and limited mobility. Skin assessment may reveal wrinkles, excess dry skin, skin tears, pressure injuries, and more.

The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

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Psychological assessment findings may reveal that the patient is suffering from a mental illness such as depression, anxiety, or feelings of isolation as this is common within this age group. Patients in this age group should receive a comprehensive assessment that guides the healthcare team’s decision-making regarding their care. Nutritional status assessment may reveal that the patient has unmet dietary needs, particularly if they live alone and are unable to be independent in ADL’s. Laboratory tests may reveal that the patient is iron deficient or folate deficient, both of which can contribute to muscle weakness and can increase a patient’s risk of falls.

References

Armstrong, J., & Mitchell, Elizabeth, MSc Adv Nursing,B.Sc(Hons), R.G. (2008). Comprehensive nursing assessment in the care of older people. Nursing Older People (through 2013), 20(1), 36-40. https://aspenuniversity.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.aspenuniversity.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/comprehensive-nursing-assessment-care-older/docview/218610317/se-2?accountid=34574

Spirgiene L, Brent L. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment from a Nursing Perspective. 2018 Jun 16. In: Hertz K, Santy-Tomlinson J, editors. Fragility Fracture Nursing: Holistic Care and Management of the Orthogeriatric Patient [Internet]. Cham (CH): Springer; 2018. Chapter 4. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK543827/ doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-76681-2_4

Please write a 200-word response to this discussion question?

Nursing

Ageing is a natural process that everyone must undergo at their own pace and time. The process is characterized by noticeable physical changes as one grows from childhood, through adolescence and maturity, to the elderly stage. As a result, various physical changes differentiate the elderly from middle-aged people.

The first physical change featured among the elderly is the declination of stamina, strength and suppleness. As one grows, body strength is lost and becomes less stable. This loss of suppleness is confirmed by the need for support techniques like using walking sticks. The loss of power and stability results from reorganizing the spinal and central nervous system and changes in the neuromuscular system (Seldeen et al., 2018).

The loss is characterized by slow movement, slow reactions and low physical performance. This change is known as sarcopenia, an age-related loss of muscle strength and body mass. This physical inactivity and decreased mobility (sarcopenia) are common in men. The case is different in middle-aged people who are strong, active, have fast reactions, fast mobility and have high general physical performance.

The other change is the greying of hair and hair loss. Nearly everyone has hair loss as they grow old, and the hair growth rate significantly reduces since many hair follicles stop producing new hairs. As one grows older, the hair follicles produce less color, and when the hairs go through the natural cycle of dying and getting regenerated, the hairs are more likely to turn grey. However, genetics dictate when the greying of hair begins. Hair color is usually standard for people around 35 years, with few signs of color changes.

The other physical changes happen on the skin. As one grows old, the skin loses its elasticity and smoothness. The skin becomes thinner, dry, and no longer plump since it loses fat.  Veins and bones can easily be visible from the skin of an older adult. Cuts, bruises and scratches take longer to heal. Wrinkles, dryness and age spots characterize the skin of an older adult. The skin is usually sagging and has skin tags and spots. On the other hand, middle-aged people have fresh, smooth and oily skin.

Change in height and weight is the other feature seen in older people. As one grows older, there is the tendency to become shorter for both sexes. Changes in height result from changes in bones, muscles and joints (Yamada et al., 2017). Studies show that people lose almost one-half inch every ten years after reaching the age of 40 years. After the age of 70 years, height loss becomes more rapid. The case is different since middle-aged people, around 35, are usually of optimal height and weight.

The other physical change accompanying growth to the elderly stage is hearing loss and deterioration of eyesight. Eyesight problems are commonly associated with age. The eyes of an older adult appear dry and dull colored. They have difficulties seeing in low-light conditions, and they perceive colors differently. The eyes lose the capability to produce tears while the lenses become vague and cloudy. The eyes lose their vibrancy and often require the aid of glasses.  Hearing is not also spared by aging. Hearing problems are also common among senior citizens, and they require the help of hearing aids (Humes et al., 2019). On the other hand, middle-aged citizens have excellent hearing ability and sharp eyesight.

The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

In conclusion, ageing tags along with many inevitable physical changes. The changes range from declination and loss of strength to hair loss and greying of hair. The other changes include hearing and eyesight problems, skin deterioration and changes in height and weight.  A good proportion of older citizens require assistance in everyday activities such as eating and bathing. The senior citizens have a decreased coordination of activities and poor motor skills like driving

References

Humes, L. E. (2019). Examining the validity of the world Health organization’s long-standing hearing impairment grading system for unaided communication in age-related hearing loss. American Journal of Audiology, 28(3S), 810-818.

Seldeen, K. L., Lasky, G., Leiker, M. M., Pang, M., Personius, K. E., & Troen, B. R. (2018). High intensity interval training improves physical performance and frailty in aged mice. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, 73(4), 429-437.

Yamada, Y., Buehring, B., Krueger, D., Anderson, R. M., Schoeller, D. A., & Binkley, N. (2017). Electrical properties assessed by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy as biomarkers of age-related loss of skeletal muscle quantity and quality. Journals of Gerontology Series A: Biomedical Sciences and Medical Sciences, 72(9), 1180-1186.

The Nursing Process Assignment Paper

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