A 58-year-old obese white male presents to ED with chief complaint of fever, chills, pain, and swelling in the right great toe. He states the symptoms came on very suddenly and he cannot put any weight on his foot. Physical exam reveals exquisite pain on any attempt to assess the right first metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. Past medical history positive for hypertension and Type II diabetes mellitus. Current medications include hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg po q am, and metformin 500 mg po bid. CBC normal except for elevated sedimentation rate (ESR) of 33 mm/hr and C-reactive protein (CRP) 24 mg/L. Metabolic panel normal. Uric acid level 6.7 mg/dl.

Students-this case does not have a dx, so you will have to provide it. Look carefully at the labs and explain what they mean. Look at the medications and consider if they have anything to do with the case. Look at all of the aspects of this patient’s health and lack of health. Read the questions that are posted for Week 8 and please make sure you address all of them as well as address what I have written above. Please make sure you discuss the pathophysiology in-depth, which is something some students are not doing. This is seen in primary care, so it is an especially good dx for you to learn about. I will be looking also for you to discuss medications that are used to treat this and discuss any dietary issues associated with this illness

An understanding of the neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critically important component of disease and disorder diagnosis and treatment. This importance is magnified by the impact that that these two systems can have on each other. A variety of factors and circumstances affecting the emergence and severity of issues in one system can also have a role in the performance of the other.

Effective analysis often requires an understanding that goes beyond these systems and their mutual impact. For example, patient characteristics such as, racial and ethnic variables can play a role

An understanding of the symptoms of alterations in neurological and musculoskeletal systems is a critical step in diagnosis and treatment. For APRNs this understanding can also help educate patients and guide them through their treatment plans.

In this Assignment, you examine a case study and analyze the symptoms presented. You identify the elements that may be factors in the diagnosis, and you explain the implications to patient health.

To prepare:

By Day 1 of this week, you will be assigned to a specific case study scenario for this Case Study Assignment. Please see the “Course Announcements” section of the classroom for your assignment from your Instructor.

Assignment (1- to 2-page case study analysis)

In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following:

• Both the neurological and musculoskeletal pathophysiologic processes that would account for the patient presenting these symptoms.
• Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.
• How these processes interact to affect the patient.

Day 7 of Week 8

Submit your Case Study Analysis Assignment by Day 7 of Week 8.

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The sample paper provided at the Walden Writing Center provides an example of those required elements (available at https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/templates). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

Module 03 Content

1. Conduct a health history on a family member or friend. Be sure they give you permission. Using the interviewing techniques learned in Module 2, gather the following information. Use your textbook as your guide.
   
   • Present Health
   • Past Health
   • Family History
   • While this is only a partial health history, summarize in 3 -5 pages the information you gathered. Also, answer the following questions:
   1. Was the person willing to share the information? If they were not, what did you do to encourage them?
   2. Was there any part of the interview that was more challenging? If so, what part and how did you deal with it?
   3. How comfortable were you taking a health history?
   4. What interviewing techniques did you use? Were there any that were difficult and if so, how did you overcome the difficulty?
   5. Now that you have taken a health history discuss how this information can assist the nurse in determining the health status of a client.
   6. Your assignment must have accurate spelling and grammar.

      Submit your completed assignment by following the directions linked below. Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.

      Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document. (Mac users, please remember to append the “.docx” extension to the filename.) The name of the file should be your first initial and last name, followed by an underscore and the name of the assignment, and an underscore and the date. An example is shown below:
      Jstudent_exampleproblem_101504